A Community Of Volunteers
Helping Paws relies on the dedication and compassion of volunteers to fulfill our mission and serve as ambassadors in the community. Each year, more than 400 volunteers support our dogs and the people they’ll go on to serve—some through ongoing, hands-on roles and others by helping at special events. Every role matters, and every volunteer is valued.
We offer volunteer roles to match a range of lifestyles. Host Homes provide a loving home while our staff handles daytime training. Volunteer Dog Trainers raise and train a dog from puppyhood, attending weekly classes and practicing at home. When they travel, Dog Sitters fill in—on dates they choose.
In addition to in-home volunteer roles, Helping Paws relies on a dedicated community of volunteers who support our dogs and staff at our training facility. At the Blue Coat Academy, volunteers serve as Dog Walkers and D-Uber / Van Drivers, helping transport dogs to and from the facility and providing enrichment between training sessions.
We also have a variety of puppy and breeding program volunteer opportunities such as Caretaker Homes and Early Puppy Trainers and Puppy Desensitizers.
We always need General Volunteers to support events, outreach, and more.
Volunteer Opportunities
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I volunteer (Host Home, Volunteer Dog Trainer, Dog Sitter) even though I have pets?
Yes you can! As long as your dog, cat, parrot, or any other form of pet gets along well with our assistance dog-in-training, we welcome the chance for our dog to grow in their experience with other animals.
What about kids?
Yes you can!
Can I travel if I am hosting or training a dog?
We have complimentary dog sitters available so you can travel worry-free. Additionally, if you are traveling domestically to a dog-friendly location, feel free to take our assistance dog in training along for the ride, so they too can gain travel experience and enjoy this great state.
What is the commitment level?
Helping Paws offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities, both big and small. From hosting a dog as a Host Home, to training a dog as a Volunteer Trainer, to dog sitting as often—or as briefly—as you’d like, there are many ways to get involved. Volunteers can also support our Day Training Program by walking and working with our dogs.
We strive to make volunteering as easy and flexible as possible. Helping Paws helps cover veterinary care, dog food, grooming, transportation to and from class, dog sitting, required training equipment, and more.
