Is your dog or cat an excellent Pet Hug Pack^® candidate? Are you interested in becoming a Pet Hug Pack^® volunteer? Consider joining the Pet Hug Pack^® and bringing wet noses and unconditional love to people in need of comfort. 

Get started

Please read the document How to Become a Pet Hug Pack^® (PHP) Volunteer. This document outlines requirements for you and your pet.

How to get started in Pet Hug Pack®:

Submit application for program.

Pet Hug Pack Coordinator will contact you to set up a meeting. 

Dogs must pass the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test or hold a CGC certificate earned in the past 24 months. 

The CGC program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for guardians and basic good manners for dogs. 

Three ways to meet this requirement are:

• ARF training course: ARF offers a 6-week training course for the CGC test. Please see the schedule of dog training classes for upcoming dates and fees. 
• Test at ARF: If you feel your dog can pass all 10 test components without taking the training course, you may arrange to take the test only. Contact ARF's Dog Training department to schedule your CGC test.
• Test outside ARF: The CGC test can be administered at another AKC approved test site. A copy of the test results must be provided to the Pet Hug Pack® Coordinator.  

After you pass the Pet Hug Pack assessment and Canine Good Citizen: 

• 1. Attend ARF's Volunteer Orientation. Volunteer Orientation is scheduled through our Volunteer Services Department. Please check our website for upcoming sessions- https://www.arflife.org/adult-volunteer
• 2. Live Scan Fingerprinting
• 3. Attend Pet Hug Pack information session

If you are interested in joining Pet Hug Pack, please contact the coordinator directly at [email protected] or 925-296-3176.