Join Us

...As a Pet-a-Pet or P.A.L.S. Facility

We are always looking to expand the list of facilities we visit. If your nursing home or retirement community wishes to have our Pet-a-Pet teams visit, please contact Mary Alex for more information. If your school or library wishes to have our P.A.L.S. teams visit, please contact Mary Grayson for more information.

...As a Pet-a-Pet or P.A.L.S. Volunteer

We’d love to have you as a volunteer! You must be 18 years or older, willing to participate in an orientation program, and available to volunteer a minimum of four hours a month. Children who wish to volunteer must be at least 12 years of age and accompanied by an adult. Both adult and child must attend the orientation.

To become a Pet-a-Pet volunteer:

Complete a Volunteer Application and return it by e-mail to info@hinsdalehumanesociety.org, by snail mail to 22 N. Elm, Hinsdale, IL 60521, or simply drop it off. Applications are also available at the shelter’s front desk.
Attend a Volunteer Orientation program. This approximately 2 hour meeting provides general information about volunteering at the shelter.
Take your pet into the shelter for a temperament test. In this approximately 15 minute test, an HHS staff member determines if your pet has the right temperament and personality for the program.
Sign the Volunteer Waiver and turn it in to the Volunteer Coordinator. This waiver indemnifies the shelter against any claims resulting from your animal’s participation in the program. Because of this, we recommend you check that you are covered for claims of this sort by your homeowner’s insurance. Or, consider getting your animal Delta certified. A Delta certified animal is protected by the Delta organization’s insurance. For more information, see www.deltasociety.org.
Give the Volunteer Coordinator at the shelter proof from your vet that your pet is current on its rabies vaccine.
The Volunteer Coordinator contacts you to schedule an appointment where you accompany a current volunteer/pet team on a visit. This gives you the chance to determine first hand if you enjoy the program.
If this visit goes well, the Volunteer Coordinator contacts you to schedule an appointment where you and your pet accompany a current volunteer. This gives you the chance to determine first hand if your pet enjoys the program.
If this goes well, you are added to the roster of active Pet-a-Pet volunteers.

To become a P.A.L.S. volunteer, the process is the same except:

Your animal must be Delta certified.
You must pass a READ certification test. This test, for which you are trained free of charge, ensures you have the specific educational skills to engage the child and to improve their reading skills.
You work with the Humane Educator, instead of the Volunteer Coordinator.