Patty Millin works full-time, but her Sundays are devoted to St. Hubert’s. She arrives by 8:30 am and spends the entire morning- often longer- cleaning the dogs’ kennels.  Warm, kind and always smiling, Patty is committed to keeping the dogs at the shelter happy and comfortable. A dedicated volunteer for the past 12 years, she is a favorite of staff and a welcoming mentor for new volunteers just starting out.

Born and raised in Madison, NJ, Patty grew up reading St. Hubert’s newsletters, and she adopted her Sharpei mix Bruce in 2006. Several months after bringing Bruce home she decided to try volunteering. “It became a way of life,” she says. Initially she worked with dogs, cats and small animals, but soon found that her heart was with the dogs.

When her beloved Bruce died at 13 1/2, staff members knew Patty needed another dog in her life, and they were determined to find just the right one. Patty’s only request was that a new dog be 30 pounds or less; the rest she left up to them. The staff picked a Jindo mix named Tiger Lily, a dog rescued from a meat farm in South Korea. Tiger Lilly had been adopted then returned to the shelter two days after Bruce died. It was meant to be. Tiger Lilly went home with Patty; she will be two years old this month and brings Patty much joy (and a few challenges!)

Patty is also a valued member of St. Hubert’s Emergency Response Team, always willing to pitch in at a moment's notice, whether it’s cleaning countless dog crates after a hurricane transport or providing food and water to cats rescued from a hoarding situation.  St. Hubert’s is her home away from home.  She says, “I love the animals, and the staff are like my family…I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”