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Getting Started

Welcome to Heelr! This guide will help you get oriented as a new user.

Accessing the App​

Your shelter admin will provide you with access to Heelr in one of two ways:

  1. Magic link invitation -- You'll receive an email with a link that logs you in automatically
  2. Email and password -- You'll be given credentials to sign in

Open the app in your phone's browser and bookmark it to your home screen for quick access. Heelr is designed to work like a native app on your phone.

The Dashboard​

Once you log in, you'll see the dashboard -- the heart of Heelr. It shows all the animals in the shelter, sorted by who needs attention most. Use the species tabs (Dogs, Cats, Other) to switch between views.

Each animal appears as a card showing:

  • Photo -- So you can identify the animal at a glance
  • Name -- The animal's name
  • Time since last activity -- How long since someone logged an interaction (e.g., "2h ago")
  • Handling level badge (dogs only) -- A colored badge indicating what training is needed to handle this dog
  • "Recently Out" badge -- Appears when an animal has had activity very recently, signaling they may need a cooldown

Spotlight Section​

At the top of the dashboard, you'll see the Spotlight -- the top 3 dogs who have been waiting the longest for attention. These are your priority picks.

What You Can Do as a Volunteer​

As a volunteer, you can:

  • View the dashboard -- See all animals you're qualified to handle
  • Log activities -- Record walks, playgroups, enrichment, and other interactions
  • View animal details -- Tap a card to see the full profile, activity history, and behavior trends (dogs)
  • Filter the dashboard -- Use the "Show dogs I can handle" toggle to see only the dogs matching your training level

Your primary job is simple: check the dashboard, pick an animal that needs attention, do the activity, and log it. That's it!

Next Steps​