If you are interested in keeping informed about animal advocacy issues in Arizona, and finding out about volunteer opportunities as they arise, please make sure you are subscribed to our email alert list so we can let you know when we are undertaking activities and campaigns and what you can do to help Arizona’s animals. Click here to subscribe to the ADLA Newswire. Also check out the calendar of events.

Some of the most important activities for any nonprofit organization are keeping its name visible in the community to attract volunteers, donors and other supporters and educating the public, the media and elected officials about our current programs and campaigns. This is especially important for us as we approach our 20th Anniversary in 2007 and are even planning a special campaign to celebrate. This committee is for you if you are interested in public relations, outreach tabling, education, special events planning, fundraising, or helping with bulk mailings.

Our primary companion animal-related campaign at this time is the Spay/Neuter Hotline of Arizona. We operate a dedicated hotline phone number and web page to refer people to low-cost spay/neuter options. We are looking for dedicated volunteers to help us build this program.

If you are interested in knowing more about how the legislative process can help or hurt animals, you might want to get involved with our legislative programs. Volunteer opportunities include monitoring bills and other legislative activities, communicating with elected officials, helping to draft and edit timely action alerts, and mobilizing the grassroots when necessary (as we did with the Prop 204 initiative related to humane farming and Prop 201 related to greyhound racing).

Our primary wildlife-related campaigns at this time include Game & Fish reform, as well as mountain lion protection and prairie dog protection. Volunteer opportunities in this program area include attending meetings and public hearings, monitoring Game & Fish activities, reviewing government documents and scientific reports, suggesting policy changes, and developing and implementing strategies to educate the public about wildlife issues (such as why not feeding wildlife is important and how to prepare for urban wildlife-human interactions)

Our primary communications vehicles are our semi-annual newsletter, Arizona Animals, and our website, www.adlaz.org. If you like researching and writing, please consider helping in one of these ways:

• Contribute compelling articles for the website, newsletter, special reports, campaign leaflets and other materials. May include filing public records requests and reviewing technical/scientific documents, as well as interviewing wildlife biologists, veterinarians and government officials.
• Compile and update referral information about animal-related resources (low-cost spay/neuter, reporting animal cruelty, etc.) by county for our website.
• As part of our 20th Anniversary Campaign, research and write a brief history of the animal protection movement in Arizona during the last 20 years, including conducting interviews with key personnel from our Tucson predecessor, Voices for Animals, as well as locating archival news articles, photographs and other materials

This group of leadership volunteers advises the board of directors on program development and campaign strategy issues. Meeting once a month via conference call, this statewide group researches the feasibility of new programs and campaigns, assesses resource availability, and develops strategies for existing and new projects. This opportunity is for volunteers who are well-versed in animal advocacy issues in Arizona and enjoy project management, organizing, research, budgeting, and strategic planning.

• Steering Committee Application