"I feel like I have something in common with them, because they don't really have a home and I don't really have a home," said Carl, 21, of Philadelphia.
Like others in the program, Carl lives at Covenant House Pennsylvania, the center for homeless and runaway youths. He and others agreed to be interviewed on condition that their surnames not appear.
At PAWS, Carl said, his work includes everything from bathing dogs to sorting bedding to sweeping floors.
"I love dogs and I love cats," he said.
Takeia, a 19-year-old from Pottstown, said an important part of her work with cats was cuddling them, letting them feel affection.
"They need love just like you do," she said.
Most of the young people involved with Hand2Paw are between 17 and 21, and many are what Cohen refers to as "travelers." They've run away or been pushed onto the streets, heading toward their next destination - wherever it may be.
Some have bounced from relative to relative, couch to couch. Some have aged out of the foster-care system or been released from jail; they're seeking to navigate the world with few skills and little education.
Through Hand2Paw, about 80 youths have provided hundreds of hours of training, cage cleaning, grooming, and socialization to more than 1,500 animals, helping dogs and cats stay alert and behaviorally sound while waiting to be adopted.
Through the program, the youths learn responsibility and basic job skills. Those who don't innately like pets learn to treat animals with respect. The especially motivated can qualify for a paid six-week internship.
"These youths are some of the most dedicated and compassionate volunteers that I've ever met," Cohen said.
A few have even been offered jobs.
