We believe your dedication and positive attitude should be rewarded.
Each month Chicago Pet Rescue nominates a
"Volunteer of the Month" as part of our Volunteer Incentive Program! These heroes go above and beyond in their efforts to help our rescued pets. We encourage you to volunteer as much as you can. The more hours you give, the more chances you'll have to be a hero. Ways to become Volunteer of the Month:
Perks of being a VIP Volunteer:
Check out a new hero each month—maybe you'll be featured next! Nominate yourself or another volunteer—email us at volunteer@chicagopetrescue.org. |
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Other perks of volunteering:
Meet New People! Chicago Pet Rescue is made up of a dynamic community of animal lovers, and we do our best to create a fun and inviting environment for our fabulous volunteers at our Chicago headquarters, holding most events within 30 minutes of Edison Park. Come enjoy the company of our wonderful animals while hanging out with other terrific, like-minded people who are passionate about standing up for animals.
Free Stress Relief Sessions! As a thank you for your dedication and hard work we offer volunteers the chance to help a homeless animal feel like a companion, even if its just for an hour. Shed your stress and energize with one of our animals! We offer training to our volunteers on how to socialize a cat, kitten, dog or puppy. Once you are trained we invite you to schedule a time to stop by Skokie PetSmart or Norridge Petco to relax with any of our on-site or visiting animals. Visitations need to be scheduled, so contact volunteer@chicagopetrescue.org for details.
Got Talent? CPR uses today's technology to raise awareness and funds for animals. Whether it’s a YouTube video, an album, a live performance or a commercial, our volunteers have the opportunity to showcase their talents in many ways. We love the idea of giving passionate and creative people an opportunity to do what they love for the benefit of animals. Doesn’t get much better than that!
Hit The Town! Earn tickets to go see a movie, enjoy a nice cup of coffee or have a nice dinner on us, as part of our Volunteer Perks program. We appreciate your dedication and believe that rewarding your hard work with fun events makes for happier volunteers!
Gift for your Time!! Each time you Volunteer for at least 2 hours during one event you can have a staff person sign your volunteer card and be closer to picking a gift (after a total of 8 hours). We want you to have fun during and after our events.
Save Money! Protect those you love by volunteering. Volunteers who accumulate a minimum of 5 hours per year are eligible for 10% off their 24PetWatch pet insurance. Having this coverage can help ensure pets receive the right medical attention when they need it.
Ready to join us? Fill out our online volunteer sign-up form. Thanks!
Our Heroes!
Each month Chicago Pet Rescue nominates a "Volunteer of the Month" as part of our Volunteer Incentive Program.
These VIP heroes have gone above and beyond in their efforts to help our rescued pets, and we appreciate them tremendously. Find out about the perks of participating in our VIP Program and how you become a hero to helps to save a life.
These VIP heroes have gone above and beyond in their efforts to help our rescued pets, and we appreciate them tremendously. Find out about the perks of participating in our VIP Program and how you become a hero to helps to save a life.
(Click on a photo to enlarge it.)
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Feb 2019 -TBDWho knows it could be YOU..Help when and where you can! |
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Jan 2019 -Tammy and Susie G.This amazing mother/daughter team, and sometimes their entire family, work together to save homeless animals. They have opened their home as a safe haven, to allow some of our animals a temporary residence, until they find their forever families. Besides providing them safety, they transport the animals as needed and help wherever and whenever they can. They also help out at adoption events. Susie and Tammy have fostered several cats and many kittens. These animals would not have found their forever homes without them. Their dedication deserves recognition and on behalf of Chicago Pet Rescue and the animals we serve, thank you and congratulations to Tammy, Susie and your family for your support. |
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Dec 2018 -Mimi, Buzz and LibbyThis family loves animals more than most! Their big hearts not only led them to volunteer to socialize homeless cats, but they also wound up adopting two, homeless birds that were in the store while they were volunteering. They are all devoted socialization volunteers, committed to providing love and exercise to our available kittens and cats who are housed at local pet stores. Our cats look forward to weekly play time, hugs and cuddling from Mimi, her son, Buzz and her daughter, Libby. Mimi is very diligent about posting pictures of the animals, making sure their cages are clean and the cats have plenty of fresh food/water. At the same time, Libby and Buzz do the hard work (playing, entertaining and socializing the kitties). All their volunteer work is much appreciated and very important. Without their help, we would not be able to save as many animals. Mimi, Buzz and Libby are living proof that the family that volunteers together has fun together! We want to thank them for all they do to improve the lives of our homeless animals. |
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Nov 2018 -Jen and Viv B.Jen and her daughter, Viv, love volunteering together, especially when they can work with cats. They started off socializing our foster kitties at Skokie Petsmart, then realized there are so many other ways they can help. They transport CPR foster cats and supplies to/from foster homes. This might seem like a small effort, but it is a very important volunteer role. Jen has also put several of her other skills to great use, such as force-feeding, pilling cats and administering IV fluids. She is happy to teach other volunteers how to do these things, or just do them herself when needed. She is always willing to help, even if it means weathering the storm. She is a very strong and brave volunteer! Thank you both for your time, dedication, and willingness to help. |
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Oct 2018 -Ania W.Ania is one of the most compassionate people that we know and love, especially when it comes to animals! She originally came to CPR to assist us with socializing pets at pet stores and ended up giving so much more. She is one of our kitten fosters, however, she also has other hidden talents! She has a photography degree, which she and her husband, Jeremi, put to good use while helping out at our Pet Trick or Treat Fundraiser. Ania is always willing to do whatever is needed when it involves helping homeless animals. Thank you for the countless hours and support that you have given CPR and the kittens that you have helped along the way. |
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Sept 2018 -Lena B.Lena loves animals and taking/editing photos. So, when the opportunity to help homeless animals by using her photography skills came along, she didn't hesitate. Lena's photos are a huge reason why our monthly newsletter is so much more attractive and popular! She also helps by spreading the word about fundraisers, needy animals and events. Lena has been very supportive, volunteering at several adoption events. Lena, we can't imagine putting together the newsletter without your creative assistance. We are very appreciative of your creativity and other support. |
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Aug 2018 -Michelle D.We are pretty sure that Michelle is one of the most organized, detail-oriented and prompt people we know and love. She has only been volunteering with us for the summer, but she has made our lives so much easier and better! We wish we had known her all of our lives! Michelle volunteers at adoption events, supports us at fundraisers, aides in writing profiles for our foster animals and taking their pictures. She also plays a very important role in helping us by create, update and post the event schedules and thank you posts on Facebook. She is great with coordinating and making sure that all of the pieces are in place and nothing is forgotten. Thank you Michelle for your dedication and excellent work. |
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July 2018 -Milou M.Milou is a big animal lover and has been around them all her life. She moved here from Amsterdam and found herself with some extra time, so volunteering with Chicago Pet Rescue was her first choice. She started off helping out at adoption events, sharing Facebook posts and supporting us at CPR fundraisers. Since she wasn't working at the time, she decided to take on a volunteer staff position. Milou jumped right in to the Vet Coordinator position, learning and coordinating as much as she could. After getting a new job and puppy, things got busy, so her time was much more limited, but she still wanted to help. We preferred to have Milou continue to help a little, rather than not at all. She is still a huge life-saver, assisting with follow-up calls to our vets when needed. Thank you Milou, for making time to help CPR and our homeless animals, even when life is busy. |
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June 2018 -Lisa and Kasey B.Lisa and her daughter, Kasey, love animals and wanted to help homeless cats. So, they joined the CPR Pet Socialization Program. They realized that this would be a great way to spend time together and help homeless animals. Most of our volunteers only help at one pet store, but Lisa and Kasey help at both Petco and Petsmart. They will go wherever they are needed! Their dedication doesn't stop there. Lisa and Kasey also help pass out flyers and talk with customers at adoption events. This mother/daughter duo have fun working together to help us save homeless animals. Their enthusiasm shines through and their love of animals is obvious in their actions. Chicago Pet Rescue wants to thank Lisa and Kasey, for all they do to help save the lives of homeless animals. |
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May 2018 -Ruiz FamilyCrystal and her family wanted to help animals by fostering. They had dog sat for other family and friends, but were ready for the next step. In a short time, they have already fostered two different CPR dogs and are currently fostering a third. In addition, they recently adopted a little kitten, Bush, from Chicago Pet Rescue! We think that he will be a great helper in showing the new fosters the family routine. The Ruiz family is very dedicated to helping their fosters get adopted by working on whatever kind of training they need,bringing them to all adoption events and making sure they have all they need. Crystal has even gone to home visits for potential adopters. Thank you to the entire family, for all your support and dedication. We look forward to rescuing many more furry friends with your help! |
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April 2018 -Caroline M.Caroline believes all felines deserve love and attention. She is dedicated to taking care of our cats that are fostered at Petco. We admire her reliability and appreciate her being a team player. She often takes extra shifts to help other volunteers when they can't make it. She will also pop into the store to check on the cats who are having a harder time. Her love of animals is obvious, as she tirelessly works to make sure that our cats maintain a high quality of life, while waiting for their forever homes. Besides keeping their cages clean, she spends time giving them individual attention and affection. Thank you Carolina on a job well done! We want you to know that Chicago Pet Rescue appreciates all of your time. |
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March 2018 -Terri P.Terri is not a passive animal lover, she puts her love of animals to work! She has been a friend and supporter of Chicago Pet Rescue for several years. She helps in any way she can. Terri enjoys working on special projects, behind the scenes. She has been a big help with socializing some of our homeless cats. Terri has even opened her house to fostering homeless kittens. This has included washing very messy, tiny kitten faces with warm water and Q-tips. She often helps trim the nails of our homeless cats. Terri also enjoys participating in as many Dine and Make a Difference events as she can, in addition to other fundraisers. She also helps with set-up and tear-down at many of the events that she is able to attend. She volunteers out of the goodness of her heart and often stays behind the spotlight, not wanting any acknowledgement. We want to thank Terri, on behalf of Chicago Pet Rescue and our homeless pets, for her continued dedication to helping and loving animals. |
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Feb 2018 -Ulana B.Ulana's inexhaustible efforts to improve the lives of homeless animals deserves recognition. She, tirelessly, gives her time and love to our foster cats. She is also very involved with trapping and neutering of stray cats. Ulana traps the strays, pays for all of their vetting and then works with the ones that are social enough to be adopted. We are thrilled that she reached out to us to help her place some of these cats in loving homes. Ashie (pictured) is one of the kittens we helped rescue through Ulana. Ulana is one of our Socialization Volunteers at Petsmart. She compassionately works with our cats to improve the quality of their lives while they wait to find their forever homes. Ulana makes sure that their cages are clean and they are living in a healthy environment. She goes in 2-3 times a week to give them exercise and to remind them of the love that they can expect when they find their new families. On behalf of Chicago Pet Rescue and all of the foster and stray kitties, we would like to thank Ulana for all the lives she has helped us save. |
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Jan 2018 -Tracey and Greg N.Tracey and Greg have big hearts, which are filled with their love of animals! They are especially fond of guinea pigs and have fostered several for our rescue. Lately, piggies seem to be coming in as quickly as they are being adopted. We are grateful that Tracey and Greg never tire of fostering one after another. They attend as many of our fundraisers as possible, including our social networking event and appreciation dinner. They are always happy to take in a piggy in need. Because of them, we know that we never have to turn away a homeless guinea pig. On behalf of CPR, all of the guinea pigs you've helped in the past, and those you will help in the future, we thank you! Or, as the piggies would say, "Squeak, squeak"! |