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Volunteer With PAL
PAL warmly welcomes bright, friendly pets and their kind owners to our our Pet Visiting program and to our PAL Club and Camp. Our certification process aims to be quick and painless so we can get as many great dogs as we can out to nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities in the DC-Metro Area.
Basic Requirements
Pets must be friendly, get along with dogs and humans, and follow basic commands reasonably well.
PAL will certify dogs, birds and various 'pocket pets', such as guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters.
Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older to be certified on their own. However, volunteers under the age of 16 are welcome with a certified adult partner. Students needing volunteer hours will find this a perfect way to meet your school requirements.
Male dogs must be altered. Female dogs may not attend orientation or pet visits while in season.
Pets must have a health certificate with a current rabies vaccine signed by a veterinarian on file at the PAL office.
Please have your dog clean and well-groomed on all visits!
Certification Process
If you think you and your pet would be a good fit, we welcome you! Follow these steps to start spreading the joy!
1. Download a copy of the Orientation Package . 
2. Send in your forms and your donation. PAL will contact you promptly with the next orientation date, and reserve your spot.
3. Attend a PAL Pet Visiting Volunteer Orientation.
Orientations are usually held once a month and last about an hour. Please check the main page of this website for upcoming orientation dates. Usually, between 15 and 20 dogs and their owners attend.
Before coming, please read the information in the Orientation Package to get a general introduction to PAL pet visiting policies and procedures.
At the orientation, you will review the package, participate in role-playing activities with your pet and have your pet's temperament observed.
The orientations are at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, and you will get a chance to practice with the residents there.
4. Attend two PAL supervised visits
At orientation, you will be asked to sign up for two supervised visits. On these visits you will be evaluated by the experienced PAL Group Leader, who will answer your questions and give you tips.
Although there are a set of specific sites for evaulation visits, you will be free to go to other sites of your choosing when your evaluation is finished.
Don't worry: friendly, people-loving dogs always do well!
3. Join a facility visit group
On this website there is a list with more information about each site -- check the "Download Forms" page. On your evaluation visits, talk with others, or call John at the PAL Office -- as Volunteer Coordinator, he will help you find a good fit or tell you about sites that need more teams.
You can also visit at more than one facility depending on your availability. Many of our volunteers make between 50 and 100 or more visits per year, but we know that people's schedules vary, and we simply ask that you visit as often as you can.
If you have any questions regarding the certification process, orientation, or the program in general, please contact the PAL Office at 202-966-2171 or john@peopleanimalslove.org.