PAWS Volunteer Opportunities  (Click here to sign-up)

Matchmaker Off-Site Adoptions:

Matchmaker Carol Ivey at a P.A.W.S. adoption event

On the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of every month and on other days PAWS conducts adoption events for homeless animals and the Greenfield Tractor Supply Store and other locations, including some outside Hancock County. Matchmaker volunteers walk dogs, groom cats, set up cages, transport animals to the adoption site, interview potential adopters, answer questions about PAWS and the animals available for adoption, and clean cages and return them to storage.

Low Cost Spay and Neuter Programs:

On the first Thursday and Friday of every month, PAWS hosts a low-cost spay/neuter clinic. PAWS volunteers assist with checking the pets in Thursday morning and with returning pets to their owners on Friday afternoon.

Classroom Education Programs:

Each school year PAWS humane educators present approximately 300 1-hour programs to elementary students throughout Hancock County. Many of these programs include live animals. Educators must have experience working with elementary age children and be willing to learn about and handle a wide variety of animals, including: horse, cat, insects, spider, snake, turtle and ferret. Volunteers must be available during normal school hours.

Pet Food Pantry:

PAWS distributes pet food weekly to Hancock County pet owners who are low income, disabled or elderly and need assistance providing consist, quality food to their companion animals. Volunteers are needed to help pick up the food from local retailers, take it to our storage area and distribute it to the clients on the specified pick-up days.

Elder Assistance:

PAWS provides free transportation to the vet or groomer for pets of elderly or handicapped Hancock County residents with no other means of transporting their pets. Volunteers with good driving records who are comfortable dealing with dogs and cats are needed to provide this transportation.

Foster Programs: 

Foster homes are needed for dogs and cats, puppies and kittens of all shapes and sizes. If you would like to become a foster home for an animal in need please fill out this on-line application here.

Committee Members:

If you have ideas to share you should consider sitting on a PAWS committee. Our group needs organized volunteers to help plan and execute the operations that make PAWS run successfully. We have opening fro the following committees: Fund-raising, Education, Membership, Volunteer and Community Service.

Fundraising Events:

Riley Festival:  Every October PAWS has a booth at Riley Festival. We sell pet related merchandise and miscellaneous other items. Volunteers are needed to set-up the booth, operate it from Thursday through Sunday, and take down the booth at the end of the event. Duties would include making sales, collecting payment, making change and restocking merchandise.

PAWS Pool Party: Back to school time brings the closing of the Riley Park Pool. In conjunction with the Greenfield Parks Department, PAWS hosts a pool party for dogs and their owners and a dog dive contest the first Saturday after the pool closes for the season. Volunteers are needed to run the concession stand, to serve as DJ and to set up the dog dive and obstacle course contests.

PAWS In the Park [PIP]: Our biggest fund-raising event of the year! Held either the 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd Saturday in September. This event includes a dog walk, contests, vendors, adoptions of homeless pets from a variety of animal welfare groups and sale of food. Volunteers are needed for set-up and take down of tents, tables and contest areas, to run the contests, to operate the food concession area, to sell PAWS merchandise, for walker registration, to prepare goody bags, to MC, to provide music, and more. All volunteers receive an official PIP T-shirt.

Hancock County 4-H Fair: PAWS has an information and retail sales booth at the Fair. We need volunteers to set-up and "person" the booth every day during the Fair in July.

Holiday Events - Lights of Love, Blessing of the Animals, Pet Photos with Santa: In early December, PAWS conducts its annual Blessing of the Animals and Lights of Love Tree Lighting ceremony. Volunteers are needed to decorate the tree and Chapel, prepare handouts, set up and serve refreshments, greet visitors. We also have our annual Pet Photos with Santa. Volunteers are needed to greet customers, sell merchandise, collect payments, play Santa, and "wrangle" pets.