The most important thing you can do is make sure to wash your hands thoroughly between each animal you handle and before you head home. You should also bring a pair of rubber boots or old shoes that you don’t normally wear so that you can wear those around the shelter instead of tracking any possible bacteria, viruses, or fecal residue from any of the shelter animals back to your home. That’s the key way to prevent bringing disease to your pets. If you handle the quarantine ward, make sure they have a pan with bleach outside the door so you can step in it with your rubber boots to get rid of any possible diseases before you continue through the other animals you may handle.

Handling wise, make sure to look for body language so you don’t get hurt. This is mainly for cats and dogs. Make sure to try and appear as unthreatening as you can. Especially in the case of fearful animals. Body language is very important and you must make sure you aren’t accidentally displaying threatening behavior to the animals. (Like towering over them or reaching towards their blind spots).

If you are just socializing animals, like rabbits, let them come to you at their own time. Rabbits are prey animals and some are very shy. If you need to pick a rabbit up I think you should pick it up much like you would a cat and make sure to have a firm enough hold that it doesn’t just hop out of your arms.

Im sure the shelter will give you a run through of how they run things, make sure to take notes!:3 hope this helps

I used to volunteer with my local SPCA and spent time with the bunnies and cats. As I have bunnies and cats at home, I was always super careful. I would wash hands and arms between pets (this was a shelter requirement anyways) and right before I left. I bought a cheap pair or shoes to wear at the shelter and I would change them and put them in the trunk. Then I would get in the car and put sanitizer gel on my hands. Then go home, immediately strip and throw everything in the washing machine and shower.

I really enjoyed my time working at the shelter, unfortunately, very unfriendly and rude staff made me stop going.

That sounds awesome!
I used to volunteer in the bunny room at our shelter (there are no more buns up for adoption at the mo.). I bought those papery overalls worn by painters and CSI dudes and kept my Hunters there. Latex gloves for any poorly buns or new buns or when cleaning out areas. Plenty of handwashing and lotioning between healthy buns when playing or grooming or giving noserubs (organic lotion is a must – repeated handwashing wreaks havoc on skin).

Poor sweetheart… I wish you success