Recently, during a hospital stay, Victoria decided that she wanted to make a change, so she began Paws Plus, a dog walking and sitting service. She works with a variety of dogs, caring for some of them overnight. It has taught her to be observant, detail oriented and inquisitive - experience that serves her well as a volunteer dog walker with the Humane Society.

What dog walkers do
Dog walkers provide a much-needed service by taking shelter dogs outside each day for exercise and socialization. This yard time gives the dogs a break from the indoor kennels and helps to keep them healthy and relaxed. Each Thursday Victoria begins her shift by reviewing the logbook, reading other dog walkers' comments. Then she takes out each dog in turn. The dogs happily sniff their way around the exercise yard, enjoying the personal attention. Grooming, reinforcing good manners training, and throwing balls for the more active dogs are all part of the routine.

Wintertime is tough. After standing out in the rain, volunteers must towel off each dog and clean the mud off of their feet before returning them to their kennels.