Meet Emily, our PAWS April Volunteer of the Month!
When did you start volunteering at PAWS?
Two or three years ago. After my family dog Ruby that was adopted from PAWS 12 years earlier passed away, I wanted to be part of the process that gave us her.
What jobs/roles have you performed at PAWS?
Dog shift leader, dog adoption counselor, puppy foster and cat care.
What do you currently do as a volunteer?
Friday am dog shift leader and cat care, working with young adults with special needs.
Why do you volunteer at PAWS?
To give animals a safe space to find their forever home.
When you're not at PAWS, what do you like to do with your time?
I study special education at PSU, and cuddle with my PAWS cat Lily.
What do you like best about being a PAWS volunteer? What do you find to be the most rewarding?
It takes a lot of man hours to keep PAWS running, it’s great to get to know the selfless people who donate huge amounts of their time and energy. The most rewarding is when you see a dog learning to become a dog. For an amazing example check out Gomez’s instagram account under his profile on the website, he’s foster has made huge strides helping him become a happy dog after a hard start to life.
If someone asked you why they should volunteer at PAWS, what answer would you give?
You get to do something for an animal that they wouldn’t have without you. Seeing the love and joy in one of the pups eyes when you take them out of their kennel for a walk is contagious.