Who can I use for a reference? I have not applied for jobs but I know I can use my current employer for a reference. I have been volunteer dog walking for a charity for over 5 years so they would have been my reference but I am finishing that now. The service user who has the dog doesn’t really need the dog as they falsified the criteria and neglects it. The service user was abusive to me as I reported the dog neglect to the charity even though I had warned the user many time before. I love volunteering but it takes over your life. It is worse when you know you are being used by someone who is abusing the system.