“Pet therapy makes us want a dog!”

“Pet therapy makes me forget about the impending doom of finals.”

“Pet therapy makes us happy!”

“Pet therapy makes me feel ecstatic!”

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Download an Application

PAWS of CNY, Inc. welcomes all domesticated dogs and cats that meet our eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria. If you are interested in becoming a PAWS of CNY certified volunteer team with your pet, you will need to complete the following steps:

1. Application – Please complete both a volunteer application and a pet application and return them along with the required health and vaccine records for your pet to PAWS of CNY. We will review your application and if you and your pet meet our initial requirements, we will contact you to begin the certification process.

Click here to learn more about the application process.

2. Certification – The certification process includes both an initial evaluation and a facility evaluation:

Initial evaluation – You and your pet must pass an initial evaluation test for our certified evaluators. If you pass the initial evaluation you must attend the next monthly New Volunteer Orientation meeting in which you and other evaluated volunteers will meet with a member of the Board of Directors to learn more about the requirements and expectations of our volunteers.

Facility evaluation – At the New Volunteer Orientation meeting you will be assigned to a nursing home or assisted living facility in which you will complete the facility evaluation process over a series of three months. If you and your pet pass the facility evaluation you will have passed the complete certification process and will receive a PAWS of CNY certificate and a bandanna for your pet to wear at facility visits and events moving forward.

Click here to learn more about the certification process.