When did you start volunteering at PAWS?
Jan 2015 after moving here from Wisconsin. I was still looking for work and figured volunteering a few mornings a week would help me get out of the house.
What jobs/roles have you performed at PAWS?
I do dog care Sunday mornings.
What do you currently do as a volunteer?
I do dog care, and a few months ago became a shift leader for Sunday morning. Being a shift leader is helping me to step out of my comfort zone a bit and learn some new things about myself and how PAWS functions.
Why do you volunteer at PAWS?
I'd love to have a high energy dog, or one with unique needs. But my living situation isn't set up for that. Volunteering at PAWS gives me the opportunity to work with dogs that I can't realistically have at home.
When you're not at PAWS, what do you like to do with your time?
My husband and I have a (super easy) dog and two cats. I enjoy just getting out for walks with our dog. And my husband and I also like to play board games.
What do you like best about being a PAWS volunteer? What do you find to be the most rewarding?
I think the most rewarding thing for me is seeing some of our longer stay dogs get adopted. I hope the experiences dogs like Ruffalo have will help them be ready when the right people come along. It's also really fun to run into former PAWS dogs at the dog park sometimes and see how they've settled into having a forever home.
If someone asked you why they should volunteer at PAWS, what answer would you give?
I think I'd tell them it's a great way to get exercise and give back to the community. It's also probably one of the best organized volunteer experiences I've ever had.