Moira Quinn
At just 12 years old, Moira started supporting homeless pets through our Junior Volunteers program. Now 18, she’s helping usher in a new generation of service-minded animal-lovers.
At 18 years old, Moira Quinn has already been volunteering with PAWS Chicago for six years—a third of her life!
“I first wanted to get involved with PAWS after adopting my dog from here in 2010, so the moment I turned 12 in 2018, I started doing Junior Volunteer shifts with my mom to help contribute to the PAWS mission and help animals throughout Chicago,” explains Moira.
Through PAWS Chicago’s Junior Volunteer (aka PAWS JV) program, teens ages 12 to 17 can help give PAWS pets a clean, safe, loving environment while volunteering alongside a parent or guardian. During her time in PAWS JV, Moira also took on the role of host volunteer.
“As a host volunteer, I introduce new volunteers to the program and mentor them through their first shift at PAWS,” says Moira.
Interested in doing even more, Moira started an internship at PAWS at age 17, which allowed her to become more involved with the animals and adopters and spend more time at the shelter. “Over the course of that internship, I turned 18 years old, so I have now become a Level 1 Dog Town and Kitty City volunteer,” says Moira.
During her internship, Moira met a very special kitten with megaesophagus who left an imprint on her heart.
“Because of his condition, he had to eat standing up and stay upright for 20 minutes to properly digest his food. Staff would ask volunteers to hold Soot in a swaddle after he ate to keep him upright. I loved sitting with him and just hanging out while he slept and made biscuits in his swaddle. We were all thrilled when he got adopted,” says Moira.
Today, Moira’s favorite part of volunteering is leading Junior Rescuers adoption center tours: “I give presentations to children not yet old enough to volunteer, and I bring in a puppy for them to play with. It’s always a joy to see their faces when they see the dog, and I love being able to spread the PAWS mission to the next generation of volunteers,” says Moira.
Moira is especially glad to share what sets PAWS apart.
“They truly care about animals and their wellbeing, regardless of where they come from or what their story is. As someone who grew up around dogs and has spent my whole life loving animals, I really felt a connection to PAWS and their mission as a No Kill, no-cage shelter and wanted to give back as much as I could,” says Moira.
When she’s not doting on the pets at PAWS, Moira can be found doting on her pets at home.
“I have two cats and a dog. My dog, Izzy, is a boxer who loves cuddling and going on long walks. My older cat, Calvin, is a PAWS alum who is very grumpy but still loves chin scratches and Churus. And my younger cat, Willow, who we found as a stray kitten, enjoys sleeping on her hammock in our living room,” says Moira.
In addition to being an avid animal lover, Moira enjoys many hobbies, including Irish dance, cross-country running, and playing guitar. But volunteering continues to be one of her favorite activities.
“It’s easy to procrastinate getting started at PAWS, but once you actually start volunteering, you fall in love with it and with the animals very quickly. There is a lot of work involved, but it’s always a fun experience to interact with dogs and cats,” says Moira.
Interested in becoming a volunteer like Moira?