Arizona Humane Society Volunteer Award

Perry Fanzo, a beloved and longstanding Arizona Human Society (AHS) volunteer, was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement President’s Volunteer Service Award. Fanzo was awarded this honor after dedicating more than two decades and over 15,000 hours (and counting) of service to AHS’ sick, injured and abused pets. Fanzo and Kelsey Dickerson, of the Arizona Human Society, along with some furry friends, join Ted to talk about the Lifetime Achievement President’s Volunteer Service Award.

“The years flew by,” said Fanzo. “You think you’re going to do it for a while as see what happens, as I think most people when they do volunteer work kind of think, ‘you know I’ll do it for a while and see what happens,’ but it’s pretty addicting.”

Fanzo’s first exposure to AHS was in the 1980s with Pets on Parade, AHS’s weekly television show on Channel 3. As a recent transplant to Arizona, he gave the AHS a call and began volunteering. He’s been helping animals ever since.

“We were so thankful that we were able to give Perry with this absolutely incredible award that came from President Joe Biden himself,” said Dickerson. “Volunteers are absolutely critical to the work that we do.”

Volunteers are the life blood of the ASH. As Dickerson pointed out, in 2022, volunteers donated over 64,000 hours of service. This included dog walking, animal care and helping in the AHS trauma hospital.

Over the course of his two decades, Fanzo has volunteered in almost every capacity possible at AHS from adoptions and media segments, to dog walking and events. He helped to adopt out, more than 200 dogs that were rescued by AHS’ Emergency Animal Medical Technicians from Hurricane Katrina. Fanzo recently became an AHS Foster Hero, as well, by bringing pets who need further growing or healing into his home.