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I Don't Know How You Can Do It | |
When I tell people that I volunteer at the SPCA, often their reaction is "I don't know how you can do it" or "I'd want to take home all the animals". I worried about both of these things when I first started working at the shelter two years ago.
It is difficult to see the animals coming in, particularly the ones who have been abused either mentally or physically - the abandoned mother cats and the newborn kittens, the underfed dogs who have spent most of their days tied up outside. But at the shelter these animals are taken care of. They're fed and given a warm and dry and safe place to sleep and play. They are given affection by the volunteers. And most of these animals eventually find good homes. It is difficult when animals have to be euthanized. On the whole, the animals that are euthanized are the ones that are too sick for us to care for or those with severe behavioral problems (which is very rare). When this happens, I take some solace in the knowledge that in their last days they have been loved. With our new spay/neuter program, more animals are being saved. Many of the mother cats and the young non-neutered male cats (who previously had very little chance of adoption) are now being spared, and after they have been spayed/neutered, almost 100% of them have found homes. And now, on a regular weekly basis, we are going to the City Pound, and, when there is room at the shelter, we can rescue animals whose lives are destined to end within 72 hours. It's all these successes that keep me going.
When I first started at the shelter, I did want to bring home all the animals. During the first month, in spite of having two dogs already, I brought home one more. Skipper (a seven year old terrier) fit into our canine family beautifully. Six months later I brought home another cat. Pansy had given birth to her 4 kittens. She was a wonderful mother. When her kittens were all adopted I couldn't bare the thought of her being put down (at that time it was almost impossible for us to place non-spayed mature cats). I brought her home. She was fine with the dogs, but she wanted to be the only cat in the house and eventually she convinced our other two cats that they no longer belonged at our home! We had Pansy spayed and kept her for two months, hoping that everyone would adapt. Things got worse and our youngest cat disappeared for two days. We took Pansy back to the shelter and thankfully (because she was spayed) she was adopted within three days. That taught me a good lesson. I couldn't keep adding to my four-legged family. My responsibility was with the animals I already have. Because I can't bring more animals home (and the desire never quite leaves you!) I am more determined than ever to do what I can to help find other good homes for these orphan animals. So if you would like to volunteer at the shelter (and we always need more volunteers) don't be afraid. You will find that the rewards, for both you and the shelter animals, are great.