Question 1

What is the age requirement to be a volunteer?

Accepted Answer

Most of our volunteer opportunities require someone 18 or older. However, we do have quite a few volunteer activities which can be done by younger volunteers, particularly those who have participated in one of our Summer PAALS camps.
Minor volunteers must have their parent’s or guardian’s permission to volunteer and must always be under the supervision of an adult. The volunteer application for a minor must be completed and submitted by the parent or guardian.
Minor volunteers under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times when volunteering for PAALS.

Question 2

When can I start volunteering?

Accepted Answer

Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed by a staff member.

If additional information is needed - you will be contacted.

Once your application is approved, you will be notified and you will be placed on a list to be notified when the next volunteer orientation session is scheduled.

You will also have access to the online volunteer portal. While most opportunities require completion of the orientation class, there are some activities you can volunteer for immediately.

Question 3

Can my company/groups/friends volunteer at once?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. We frequently have volunteer projects which need a team of people to complete them.
 
Rather than completing the online application, please fill out our CONTACT FORM.

Question 4

I work full-time, are their other times I can volunteer?"

Accepted Answer

Certainly. We have many opportunities for after-hours and weekend volunteers.

Question 5

Can I assist with dog training?

Accepted Answer

Training of our service dogs takes years of learning and practice. So volunteers are not allowed to serve in this capacity.
 
However, we do sometimes have opportunities for volunteers to participate in evaluations and take notes during training and/or evaluation sessions.

Question 6

Will I be able to take home a puppy?

Accepted Answer

Only our specially trained Weekend Foster PAALS are able to take PAALS’ dogs home on the weekend.
After you have become a PAALS volunteer and completed volunteer orientation, you can apply to become a weekend foster.

Question 7

How do I apply for an assistance dog?

Accepted Answer

Visit our APPLY page and read the types of dogs/training we offer, and select that dog type to read the required steps/process.

Question 8

How much does it cost to get an assistance dog?

Accepted Answer

We require clients to attend a Team Training which has a tuition fee of $5,000 to help offset some of the cost of the training. We encourage everyone to apply, and we can help you with ideas for fundraising if you cannot afford the team training tuition. We also can provide marketing items for you to use upon request.  We do not decline clients based on their ability to pay this amount.

Question 9

Can you train a dog/puppy I already have?

Accepted Answer

No. We do not have the resources to train dogs outside of our program.

Question 10

How long will it be before I get my assistance dog?

Accepted Answer

It take an average of 6 months to be accepted as a client. Finding the right dog can take months to two years, or maybe longer.  We strive to place dogs as quickly as we are able, but we value finding the right dog to team with each client, more than speed of placement.

Question 11

Are all PAALS dogs allowed in public places?

Accepted Answer

No.  Home Skilled Companion dogs, Career Change dogs, and Facility dogs, are not granted public access.

Question 12

How long does it take to train a PAALS dog?

Accepted Answer

It takes approximately 2 years to train our dogs. We expose the dogs to many situations, places and people and they participate in many community programs to aid with the training process. During this time they gain great experience and the trainers can assess their strongest abilities to match them to a waiting client.