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How to Join
The way to become a volunteer:
- Attend Cornell Companions training sessions, held each fall: Training sessions are for our human volunteers. There are 2-3 evening sessions in each training cycle that are mandatory for all volunteers to attend. Discussion about the human-animal bond, learning about some of the challenges faced by the people with whom we visit, strategies for visiting, becoming familiar with the facilities we visit, and MORE are all part of the human volunteer training.
- Attend a "screening session" with your pet so that we can place you in a facility that matches your pet's activity level: The 15-minute screening for each human/animal visiting pair is held on a weekend during the training cycle. You and your pet will be assessed for your animal's temperament, activity level and "personality" to ensure a good "fit" for visiting one of our facilities. We also have you fill out a questionnaire about your animal's social and medical history as well as ask you to have up to date rabies vaccinations and annual physical exams for your pet.
- Please email our technical assistant, Simon Pang, in order to be placed on our announcement list to be notified about our next training session.