Volunteer Opportunities
There are three fun ways for members of our community to volunteer at PVD. The PVD Volunteer Program is a customer-service program that allows members of our community to serve as ambassadors to passengers and visitors at Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport. Volunteers provide airport information inside the terminal facility as well as directions and locations of various amenities in the airport and around the region. When travelers need information or directions, they will be greeted by a friendly volunteer and sent away with answers and a smile.
The second option is to become a PVD Music Volunteer. Volunteers provide airport patrons with a pleasant, fun, and soothing atmosphere inside the terminal facility. The airport has a baby grand piano available for pianists but other performances are welcomed.
Both of these programs are vital to making travel through PVD a positive experience!
Volunteer Program
Application and Training
PVD Volunteers are asked to complete an application and then proceed through the airport identification badge process. There is no cost to go through the process and parking is validated when volunteering. Volunteers are provided detailed classroom and hands-on training and also have access to a large library of materials, brochures, and handouts to assist them with helping customers.
Contact
For more information about the program, click here.
To join the program today, fill out the Volunteer Program Application. Completed applications can be sent to [email protected].
Hours of Operation
Volunteers are asked to commit to three 4-hour shifts per month. Shifts are available every day between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM with multiple posts located throughout the terminal. The program is flexible with respect to scheduling, as we greatly appreciate participants donating their time.
Music Volunteer Program
Application and Training
PVD Music Volunteers are asked to complete an application and then proceed through the airport identification badge process. There is no cost to go through the process and parking is validated when volunteering. Volunteers are provided detailed classroom and hands-on training and also have access to a large library of materials, brochures, and handouts to assist them with helping customers.
Contact
To join the program today, fill out the Volunteer Program Application. Completed applications can be sent to [email protected].
Hours of Operation
Volunteers are asked to commit to 3, 1-hour shifts per month. Shifts are available every day between 10:00 AM and 11:00 PM. The program is flexible with respect to scheduling as we greatly appreciate participants donating their time.
PVD Pups
Overview
PVD Pups, Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport’s pet therapy program, was introduced in 2015 to offer an enhanced customer service experience to our passengers by providing stress relief and comfort through interaction with trained animals.
When travelers walk through the terminal they will be greeted by these pups with wagging tails and red vests clearly marked “PVD Pups Pet Me.” These dogs are hoping to make your experience here a little more pup-tastic!
Meet the Pups
Tripper
Hometown: Burrillville
Breed: German Shepherd
Favorite treat: Ice cream
Pet peeve: Fireworks and thunder
Favorite place to walk: Garden City
Fun fact: She is the smallest dog and sleeps in the biggest dog bed
Special tricks: Paw, find it, and catch
Friar
Hometown: Burrillville
Breed: German Shepherd Dog
Favorite treat: Carrots
Pet peeve: Squirrels and staying home when others go for a ride
Favorite place to walk: Any place that involves a ride in the truck
Fun fact: Favorite toy is tennis balls
Special tricks: Catch, paw, and find it
Harry
Breed: Great Pyrenees
Favorite treat: Peanut butter
Favorite activity: Resting or playing in the snow
Pet peeve: Thunderstorms
Favorite place to walk: Anywhere in the woods
Fun fact: Harry was adopted from the Big Fluffy Dog Rescue in 2012
Special tricks: None
Hunter
Hometown: Greene, RI
Breed: Mixed breed
Favorite treat: Food
Favorite activity: Hiking
Pet peeve: When people are over and it’s bedtime
Favorite place to walk: Carbunkle Pond
Fun fact: He groans dramatically when he wants something
Special tricks: The Hokey Pokey
Mike
Hometown: Coventry
Breed: American Staffordshire Terrier/ English bulldog
Favorite treat: Ice cream
Favorite activity: Besides eating, car rides!
Pet peeve: Rain
Favorite place to walk: Bike path
Fun fact: He dances from paw to paw and whines while waiting impatiently for his ice cream
Special tricks: Plays tambourine, spins, and plays peekaboo
Winnie
Hometown: Scituate
Breed: Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Favorite treat: Temptations Cat Treats
Favorite activity: Walks in the woods
Pet peeve: Having Mom put any type of dog clothing on her
Favorite place to walk: Any open field or wooded area
Fun fact: Winnie has her own passport and traveled extensively to Canada and the US, and she loves her cats
Special tricks: Shaking hands and sitting upright on her hind legs
London Dora
Hometown: Cranston
Breed: Shih-Tzu
Favorite treat: Watermelon
Favorite activity: Finding a place to sit in the sun
Pet peeve: Mom talking on the phone
Favorite place for a walk: Around the neighborhood where she knows everyone by name
Fun fact: Taking her food out of her dish 1 kibble at a time to another place
Special tricks: Dance, doggie yoga, and high 5
Gracie
Breed: Yellow Lab
Favorite treat: Everything from Chewy
Favorite activity: Frisbee
Pet peeve: Loud noises
Favorite place for a walk: In the neighborhood
Fun fact: Greets everyone with something in her mouth
Special tricks: Catches Frisbee and ball, 1-2-3 game with treats
Luna
Hometown: Cranston, Rhode Island
Breed: Goldendoodle
Favorite treat: Peanut butter
Favorite activity: Long walks
Pet peeve: Having my nails clipped
Favorite place to walk: Garden City
Fun fact: She talks in her sleep!
Special tricks: On command, she will look for her sister’s dog and bark when she finds her
APPA
Hometown: Chepachet, RI
Breed: Bernadoodle
Favorite treat: Whip cream
Favorite activity: Snuggling or playing with a tennis ball
Pet peeve: Anything that buzzes
Favorite place to walk: The neighborhood
Fun fact: He jumps at the command of YipYip, which is how they get Appa to fly in the show Avatar, The Last Airbender
Special tricks: He does not kiss, he boops you in the nose
Teddy
Hometown: West Warwick, RI
Breed: American Staffordshire Terrier
Favorite treat: Homemade woofles
Favorite activity: Doing pet therapy and making people smile
Pet peeve: Having his nails cut
Favorite place for a walk: Conimicuit Point Park, Warwick, RI
Fun fact: He is the mascot for the PVD Pups program and is the only remaining original dog
Special tricks: Teddy routinely utilizes his Stunt Dog tricks while doing pet therapy
Mocha Madness Fiorentino
Hometown: Warwick, RI
Breed: Mixed
Favorite treat: Cheese bones and pig ears
Favorite activity: Going places
Pet peeve: Not getting her way
Favorite place for a walk: The park (Rocky Point)
Fun fact: Mocha did agility competitions before becoming a therapy dog
Special tricks: Dance and go around
Jasmine
Hometown: Dallas, Georgia
Breed: Shih Tzu
Favorite treat: Anything and everything except lettuce
Favorite activity: Chasing balls and scent tracking
Pet peeve: Being left behind
Favorite place to walk: Anywhere with good scents to sniff
Fun fact: Jasmine will run around with any shoe she can find
Special tricks: Jasmine can do many tricks but her favorite is roll over
Willow Marszalek
Breed: Pitbull Type Dog
Favorite treat: Homemade chicken jerky
Favorite activity: Going for a walk or hike
Pet peeve: People that judge her breed
Favorite place to walk: The woods
Fun fact: Miss Willow is not only a therapy dog for humans but also provides emotional support for her canine sister Ivy, who is quite fearful
Special tricks: She is a master at stealing hearts
Katie
Breed: MiKi
Favorite treat: Boiled chicken
Favorite activity: Wrestling with her younger (but bigger) sister Opal
Pet peeve: When her sister Opal steals her toys
Favorite place to walk: Meshanticut Lake
Fun fact: People often mistake me for a Gremlin or Ewok Special tricks: Dancing on her back legs for treats
Certification and Training
PVD Pups must have their AKC CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certification and complete a specialized training program specific to the airport environment. The dogs will also earn an Urban AKC CGC certificate upon completion of the training. Under the direction of Susan Parker of Dynamic Dog Training, dogs must complete a 9-week course, learning skills from basic obedience to desensitization to other animals, food and other stimuli in the airport environment. All handlers are also required to comply with airport volunteer policies and pass a background check and fingerprinting before joining the PVD Pups team.
Due to the constantly changing environment of an airport, PVD Pups continue training throughout the year to earn CEUs, which are a series of impulse control tests and must re-certify each year.
Contact
Liberty Luciano, PVD Pups Program Coordinator:
[email protected]
Susan Parker, Dynamic Dogs:
[email protected]
Have your pup join the program today!
Fill out the PVD Pups application.
Hours of Operation
Each dog and handler work one weekly shift of one to two hours.
The PVD Pups teams are also involved in community events to promote pet therapy, and the PVD Pups Program and can be seen marching in local parades and participating in media events throughout the year.
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