Priyanka Gajwani
Meet Priyanka! Priyanka is one of our wonderful Medical Center volunteers that provides weekly support for the pups and we can guarantee that the pups' tails are wagging when Priyanka comes for her shift. From showing new volunteers the ropes to walking and socializing the pups, we can always count on Priyanka to help at our Medical Center!
- How long have you been a volunteer at PAWS Chicago and what made you decide to volunteer?
I’ve been volunteering at PAWS since January 2019. I decided to volunteer because I was looking to do something that had a positive impact, and a way to deal with chronic stress. PAWS was a great fit on both counts. Being a volunteer here means I get to be part of an organization that helps thousands of animals get adopted every year. Plus, I get to be around all these cute puppies, which is a great way to destress at the end of the week!
- Which PAWS program(s) do you volunteer with? What’s your favorite way you help PAWS and why?
I volunteer with the dogs at the Medical Center in Little Village. My favorite thing to do is spend time with some of the shy, quiet dogs. Some of them are hesitant around people at first, but after even a few minutes you can see them start to open up and trust you. I love being one of the many people they will encounter at PAWS that help them realize they can feel safe around humans, so they’re ready for when they meet their families!
- What’s special about the PAWS No Kill mission to you/what inspires you to have a heart for animal welfare?
I really appreciate the holistic approach that PAWS takes to achieve its No Kill mission. By providing medical care for sick animals, performing spay/neuters, and participating in animal rights advocacy, PAWS is able to help animals that are in shelters now while also making systemic changes to reduce the number that will be in shelters in the future. I grew up in a place with a lot of stray dogs, many of whom I loved as much as my own dog, and so this humane approach to reducing homeless animals is very important to me.
- What’s your favorite story about your time at PAWS and why? If a single story doesn’t stand out, which PAWS experience means the most to you and why?
That time the French Bulldog puppies were in town was something! I read about how they had been abandoned at O’Hare in the papers, and then I came to the Medical Centre and there they were! They were almost unbearably cute. Also, I really enjoyed volunteering during the pandemic. It was nice to have somewhere cheerful to go to forget about reality for a little while.
- What are three things you would tell someone who’s interested in becoming a PAWS volunteer?
I find volunteering at PAWS to be extremely fulfilling, and I think it's an environment that would suit anyone. I really like how PAWS balances having a structured volunteer experience, while still giving you the flexibility to choose how and when you’d like to contribute. There are so many different volunteer roles you can fill, but you always get the training you need to feel confident in that role. You also get to work with so many lovely people who are all deeply committed to helping animals, and of course, you get to interact with some very sweet cats and dogs. I really couldn’t recommend it enough!