Vet Run Handbook
Healthcare for Homeless Animals (HHA) is a 100% volunteer run nonprofit that funds lifesaving medical care for the animals at the Agoura Animal Care Center. From emergency surgeries and dentals to senior care and specialist visits, HHA helps ensure animals receive the treatment they need to heal and find loving homes.
Download HandbookYour Role Saves Lives
A critical part of this work is transporting animals safely between the shelter, foster homes, and veterinary appointments. Your care and attention help ensure animals receive the lifesaving treatment they need.
Getting an animal to the vet quickly can mean the difference between suffering and healing, and between remaining in the shelter and finding a loving home. Your role truly saves lives.
Vehicle Preparation
Before or when arriving at the shelter for a vet run, please take a moment to prepare your vehicle to ensure a safe and calm transport.
- Make sure your vehicle has enough fuel for the entire trip to the veterinary hospital and back, including extra in case of traffic or an unexpected situation.
- Ensure your vehicle is in safe working condition.
- Clear the transport area of loose items, bags, food, or objects that could shift, fall, or frighten the animal during the drive.
- Remove any food, toys, trash, medications, or strong-smelling items from the vehicle that the animal could access or ingest.
- Ensure there is space for a crate or secure transport area where the animal can ride safely.
- Secure crates in your vehicle so they cannot slide or tip during transport. Whenever possible, place crates on a flat surface such as the back seat or cargo area and use seat belts or restraints to keep them stable.
- Make sure the vehicle temperature is comfortable before loading the animal.
- In warm weather, use air conditioning to keep the vehicle cool.
- In colder weather, ensure the vehicle is warmed before transport.
- Never leave an animal unattended in a parked vehicle in extreme temperatures.
- Keep the car environment calm and quiet. Avoid loud music, radio, horn use, yelling, sudden movements, or other distractions.
- Do not transport personal pets, children, or additional passengers during a vet run unless previously approved by HHA.
- Make sure animals cannot access the front seat, dashboard, floor area, or any items in the vehicle during transport.
Once the outside temperature reaches 70°F, a parked car can heat to dangerous levels within minutes, even with windows cracked. Never leave an animal unattended in a parked vehicle.
At 70°F outside, interior reaches 100°F+ within 20 min. At 80°F, it can hit 120°F in under 10 min.
Limit outdoor walks above 85°F. Avoid all walking on pavement above 90°F, asphalt can exceed 150°F and burn paws.
Place the back of your hand on the pavement for 5 seconds. If it's too hot to hold, it's too hot for paws.
Signs of heatstroke: excessive panting or drooling, dark red or purple gums, lethargy or collapse, vomiting, loss of coordination. If you observe any of these, contact HHA and the vet immediately.
- If possible, keep extra towels or blankets in your vehicle in case they are needed during transport.
- Make sure you have a phone charger in the car and that your phone is charged and reachable in case the HHA team or veterinary staff need to contact you during the vet run.
- Before leaving the shelter, enter the veterinary hospital address into your GPS or phone so you have directions ready if service is lost during transport.
Entering the Shelter
- Make sure to sign in and out as a volunteer at the office. Transport hours count toward your Agoura volunteer hours.
- The shelter staff will need a copy of your driver's license during your first vet run. Please make sure they have everything they need for you to transport an animal.
- Notify the front desk which animal you are taking and which veterinarian the animal will be seeing.
- Ask the front desk to print any available medical or owner records, if applicable. If medical records or paperwork are not available at the front desk, please contact Tamy or Ann before leaving the shelter for guidance.
- Study the animal's kennel card so you are familiar with the animal you are transporting and any special needs.
- Animals are typically loaded in the back area of the shelter. Shelter staff will provide the gate code if needed.
Before Leaving the Shelter
Place an "AT VET" sign on the animal's kennel and add a blue round HHA sticker on their paper kennel card. This helps everyone know where the animal is and that they are under HHA's medical funding care.
- Dog signs are located in the binder in the break area.
- Cat signs are located in the drawer under the food counter.
- HHA stickers can be found by the wall through the middle entrance to the dog kennels.
- Ask shelter staff or volunteers to allow the animal a potty break before leaving for the appointment, especially for early morning vet runs.
- Before leaving the shelter, double check the animal's name and ID number on the kennel card and paperwork to confirm you are transporting the correct animal.
- Crate the animal whenever possible for safe transport. Ask staff or another volunteer for help if needed.
- If transporting an animal for a surgical appointment, they must not have any food or water after midnight. If there is evidence of food or water in the kennel, contact Tamy or Ann immediately to confirm whether the appointment can proceed or must be rescheduled.
- Before leaving the shelter, enter the veterinary hospital address into your GPS or phone so you have directions ready if service is lost during transport.
At the Vet
- Animals must remain in the vehicle upon arrival. Park and make note of your parking space number, leave the animal safely in the car, and go inside to check in. After checking in, return to your car to sit with the animal until vet staff comes to collect them.
- If you are unsure about the animal's behavior around other animals, please inform the office staff so the animal can be admitted through the side door.
- Veterinary staff will come to your vehicle to bring the animal inside and will assist with loading the animal back into your car when the visit is complete. Ask vet staff for help if needed to lift an animal in and out of the car safely.
- Make sure to ask the vet techs and veterinarians to take photos and videos of the animal during the procedure. They will share these to us directly. This is very important for HHA records, fundraising, and transparency.
Request all of the following before you leave:
- Ask the vet to contact Tamy or Ann for a visit update.
- Request any special instructions from the veterinarian.
- Ask the vet to email discharge notes, instructions, reports, and labs directly to Tamy (dogs) and Ann (cats).
- If the animal was spayed or neutered, please collect proof of alteration documentation.
- If safe, take photos and videos of the animal while loading, in the car, and at the vet lobby. Send content via SMS to Tina at 917-971-2231. Include the animal's name and ID A-number when sharing.
Returning to the Shelter
- Return the animal safely to its kennel.
- Inform the office that the animal returned and to change the animal's status from At Vet back to its assigned kennel.
- Ask the front desk to mark the animal HHA on the computer.
- Remove the "At Private Vet" sign.
- Take a clear photo of any medications and discharge instructions, making sure the labels are visible. Send the photo to Tamy (dogs) or Ann (cats) before handing off.
- Deliver any provided medications to a vet technician (Mon–Thu) or kennel attendant (Fri–Sun).
- Ask vet tech or staff to enter meds into the computer.
Important Situations
You are not responsible for making or approving medical decisions for the animal you are transporting. Veterinary staff or shelter staff may sometimes share medical information or ask questions during the visit. If this happens, kindly ask them to contact HHA directly. All medical updates, questions, and treatment decisions must go through HHA.
Please ask them to contact Tamy or Ann directly before any decisions are made. This includes recommendations for:
- Hospitalization
- Emergency surgery
- Humane euthanasia
If the animal must remain at the hospital, notify Tamy immediately at 818-522-1483.
Transport Safety Guidelines
Many shelter animals are frightened, recovering from procedures, or unfamiliar with their surroundings. Limiting handling and keeping transport simple helps prevent fear, stress, injury, or escape. Your role is to transport the animal safely and calmly to the veterinary hospital and back to the shelter.
- Drive directly from the shelter to the veterinary hospital and back.
- Dogs must have a collar and remain leashed at all times.
- Cats must remain crated at all times.
- Maintain a comfortable temperature in your vehicle at all times.
- Always double-check that crates are securely closed before driving. Confirm all doors and latches are fully secured before leaving.
- Keep your phone charged and reachable at all times during the vet run.
- Enter the veterinary hospital address into your GPS before leaving the shelter.
- Do not stop along the way unless there is an emergency.
- Do not allow the animal to go potty during transport stops.
- Do not take the animal for a walk.
- Do not allow the animal to interact with or meet other animals.
- Do not allow anyone outside the transport or veterinary team to interact with or pet the animal.
- Do not give the animal any food, treats, or water unless specifically instructed by HHA or the veterinary team. Food or water can interfere with treatment and cause complications.
- Do not let the animal bring a toy with them.
- Never leave an animal unattended in a parked vehicle unless absolutely necessary.
While extremely rare, animals can panic in unfamiliar environments. If an animal escapes during transport, the most important thing is to remain calm and act quickly.
- Stay calm.
- Immediately contact Agoura Animal Care Center at (818) 706-5898.
- Do not chase the animal.
- If possible, try to safely contain the animal by closing nearby doors, gates, or access points.
- Keep visual contact with the animal if it is safe to do so.
- Do not leave the area unless instructed by the shelter or HHA team.
- Ensure your own safety first.
- Check that the animal is secure, well, and safe.
- Contact Tamy immediately at 818-522-1483.
- If emergency services are required, call 911.
- Always notify HHA as soon as possible if anything unusual happens before, during, or after a vet run.
HHA Transport Support
- Early morning drop-offs for scheduled surgeries, dentals, and exams. Morning drop-off appointments typically require arrival between 7:45 AM and 8:30 AM. Please plan accordingly and arrive on time.
- If you are unexpectedly running late for a scheduled appointment, please contact the veterinary hospital directly to inform them.
- Afternoon or evening pickups from veterinary appointments.
- Scheduled appointments where you wait for the animal to be examined and then return them to the shelter.
- Emergency transport runs when immediate medical care is needed.
Volunteers may choose to transport dogs, cats, or both, depending on their comfort level. Appointments will usually be communicated in advance, but occasionally urgent same-day runs may be required.
HHA and the Agoura Animal Care Center will provide the equipment needed to safely transport animals to and from veterinary appointments. Please gather what you need from the shelter before leaving, or ask Tamy if any items are missing.
Please provide the HHA team with your preferred T-shirt size. The shirt is free and should be worn during transport unless you are already wearing an Agoura volunteer shirt. If there is equipment you need that is not available, please let the HHA team know so we can make sure you are properly supported.
Expenses & Reimbursements
If you incur expenses related to vet transport, such as gas or other approved costs, please email your receipts and expense details to Cathy at hhaagoura@gmail.com. Treasurer Cathy Davis will review and process reimbursements.
- Your name
- Date of the transports
- Animal names or IDs transported
- Description of the expenses
- Photo or scanned copy of the receipts
- Preferred method of reimbursement (for example: check, Zelle, bank transfer, etc.)
For your security, please do not include sensitive personal or financial information such as bank account or credit card details in your email. Cathy will contact you directly with additional information needed to process your reimbursement.
Sharing the Animal's Story
Your experience during a vet run is incredibly valuable to us. We truly want to hear anything and everything you observed while spending time with the animal. No detail is too small, and no photo is too blurry. Every little observation helps us better understand the animals in our care.
If you notice behaviors, changes in mood, mobility, appetite, energy, what the animal seems to enjoy or dislike, any fears, personality traits, or special quirks, please share them with the HHA team. These observations help us better understand each animal's personality, comfort level, and needs, and help us place them in the right home where they will thrive.
Photos or short videos taken during transport or at the veterinary visit are incredibly helpful. They allow us to document the medical care each animal receives, share their journey with our community, raise lifesaving funds, and ultimately help them find their forever homes.
Our partner veterinary teams know how important this is to HHA and are usually happy to help capture photos or videos if you ask. We also deeply appreciate anything you are able to capture when it is safe for both you and the animal to do so.
Animal stories, notes, or observations can be emailed to hhaagoura@gmail.com
Photos and videos can be sent via SMS to Tina at 917-971-2231
Please include the animal's name and ID A-number when sharing an observation or photo or video, so we can properly document it.
Healthcare For Homeless Animals Contacts
If you have questions during a vet run or need assistance, please contact the appropriate HHA team member listed below. Please save all below contacts in your phone so you can easily reach us and recognize our calls if we need to contact you for scheduling and during transport.
Veterinary Hospital Contacts
If there is an animal emergency during your vet run and you cannot get hold of an HHA team member, please call the vet you are visiting directly for medical instructions.
Thank You
Thank you for helping ensure the animals at Agoura Animal Care Center receive the medical care they need to recover and find loving homes.
Your time, care, and attention truly help save lives.