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 a volunteer application and return it 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. Each pet and handler that passes the certification process will be charged a $100 certification fee due at the initial evaluation. For pets that continue in the program long-term, they must recertify every two years and pay the re-certification fee of $50. Fees can be paid via PayPal.
Upon passing the initial evaluation all new volunteers must complete an online volunteer orientation, volunteer member agreement, and facility document to choose your evaluation facility.
Facility evaluation – Once you complete the New Volunteer Orientation online, you will be assigned to a long-term care 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 visits and events moving forward.
Click here to learn more about the certification process.
If your pet does not pass the initial evaluation, we will invite pets that need minor corrections back for the next evaluation. For others we recommend training and time to mature (generally a six-month break to obtain documented, professional training before being retested).
Click here to learn more about local positive reinforcement trainers.
