I feel like I've been slacking

It always seems that when Tuesdays (my Friday) roll around I am so ready to be at home that I do just about everything possible to do as little as possible. This Tuesday I really did start the day out fine, it just seemed that as the day progressed I quickly became less and less motivated.

The day started off pretty unassuming with the usual cleaning. It has been a little different since we have seven puppies that are all free fed so you can imagine how their homes look after 12 hours of confinement. Not only is there about five solid pounds of poo but about 90% of the time the little guys run through it and spread it everywhere, including my shirt as they are carried down to the puppy yard for a morning romp with each other.

After feedings and getting all of the guys back in their kennels I moved onto what seemed like the fewest rabbits I have ever seen here. Apparently there were quite a few adoptions of the little guys which made the cleaning a breeze aside from the running nose and constant sneezing. I really do think my theory is working though that the more and more I work with them the less my allergies will affect me. My reactions are night and day different from the first time I entered the rabbitat to today which is a really good thing.

After the rabbits I moved to iso to take care of the bite quarantined dogs. They were able to get out for a break and I made sure they had lots of good food for the morning. I'm not going to lie though, even though one of these guys was only about 20 pounds I was still very hesitant in entering the kennel, especially after the fact that my hand is covered in band aids after our last encounter. I took things very slowly and had another staff member help in calming the animal who really wasn't ready to leave its area. We decided to leave him be and just put a pile of treats in the kennel, some fresh water, and a bowl of food.

Moving on to taking out the garbage we decided it was going to take two of us today. Simple reason, we knew the dumpster was already stuffed full and today we would need someone to sit on the lid while the other locked it up. To my surprise we were able to get all of the bags in the dumpster, flip the lids, jump up and down a few times, and put all of our weight on the top and were able to get the thing locked down. I'm just glad no one was watching as I started slipping off of the damn thing and nearly broke my ankle. Hey, you gotta do what you have to do, and luckily the garbage will be picked up the next morning.

When I was washing my hands I got a text from my fiance saying that our son, a.k.a. our dog, had eaten a bag of chocolate so I asked around and decided to bring the guy up to the shelter so we could keep an eye on him. It was nice at first to have his familiar face smiling at me but after a while it was more of a nuisance because he really deterred me from helping the other guys. I decided to introduce him to a few dogs to see if we could find him a play date and it was fun to watch him interact and run around with one of our shelter dogs that has yet to make any friends here.

During the rest of the afternoon there was an abnormally high rate of EBR's (euthanasia by request) that was just depressing. I had to help carry in one of the dogs because he was so large. He was a sweet gray lab that weighed in at about 130 pounds that was crippled from his mid section back. We carried him on to the stretcher where he made a mess of himself. The owners were very emotional and you can really only say "I'm sorry". It is so sad to not only know that this animal is about to go over the rainbow bridge but to see the emotions that the family is experiencing truly makes these moments tough. I know that it is part of the job but it doesn't make it any easier. I'm just glad that I was not there to help out with the really tough task.

Luckily I was able to go and throw the ball around with my boy and his new friend. It really got my mind off of the tough reality that we all get old at some point and there is a threshold when we say that it is time to end the suffering. Turning away from all of the depressing stuff, our little guy that has been returned twice and just got through his second round of heart de-worming got to go home today. I have to say, I am probably going to go home and light a candle and cross my fingers that the third time is the charm. This poor little guy has been through so much that he really does deserve to live a full and happy life. I know that he will make a great addition to any family, I just hope that his latest one appreciate him for the companion that he is. On my Dad's suggestion I have taken a picture of him just so you can see how cute this little under bite guy is. Thanks for reading and keep the comments coming, I love to know what people are thinking.

Some Ups and Some Downs

Saturdays always start the same, the only variance is who I am going to be sanitizing the kennels with. Today it was with a guy named Jeremy. I had met him a couple of time before and knew that he was a Marine that will be deploying to Afghanistan within the next two months. It seemed that the cleaning flew by with the stories we shared about training and transitioning into civilian life. No matter how long ago anyone has been in the Marine corps it seems it is still the biggest frat in the world. It was a good start to the day getting someone's opinion on the war, politics, and why they were working at the shelter.

After cleaning I got some very disheartening news. Mandy, a one eyed dog that had been in the shelter for quite a while had been put down. I really wish I could have found out towards the end of the day just so I wouldn't have had to think about it every time I walked by the empty kennel. It's pretty simple, this is a no kill shelter, however when there are health or behavior issues and the animal is unadoptable there is the option of euthanasia. It turns out there were no medical problems with Mandy but she did show some aggression. She had started as a sweet and loving dog early on, but as time progressed the shelter environment wore her down. She began showing some signs of aggression towards other animals due to her new lack of depth perception. She was being worked with the last time I worked and always seemed very friendly towards humans. What I learned my first day back this week was that somehow she escaped from her kennel and when a volunteer walked by she attacked biting the person's leg and doing some serious damage. With that type of behavior and unpredictability there were no other options than to put her down. Really not a good way to start my day out.

After the emotions the crowd started arriving. I had almost forgotten it was Saturday and the busiest day of the week. I sat in on a few showings and tried picking up some tactful ways of asking people some pretty serious questions. One showing involved a Rat Terrier that was the sweetest dog but had been returned twice due to behavior issues. The new adopter was for warned and took at as the third time is the charm. She had a German Pointer and really wanted a smaller dog with the same energy level. It seemed like a perfect fit so our little friend hopefully found the right home this time.

Later in the day I was shadowing a showing for a kitten to two young adults that lived with their parents and about 20 other animals. On their paperwork that put the animal would be an indoor/outdoor cat. Unfortunately it is the shelter's policy not to allow kittens to live this way since they have no way of defending themselves. The staff member wanted to make sure that the people understood the question on the paper before telling them that we can't adopt to them. Of course they said they wanted what they put on the form and we informed them that we cannot adopt to them. I had almost forgot what maturity was when I saw a true lack of it. These people threw a hissyfit but we stood by our ground and apologized. It's good to see a place that stands by what they believe in rather than folding under the pressure to apease a client.

After this is was feeding time for the bottle fed kitten. This was my first time ever doing this. I held the little black 14 day old on my shoulder and put the tiny nipple in his mouth, boy was he hungry. After he finished I burped him and comforted him for a while. I was then taught how to make them go to the bathroom buy taking a cloth and rubbing those areas until it basically just falls out. Kind of an interested experience because I have never been fond of cats, but they are slowly growing on me.

During the usual aspects of the day, from doing laundry, picking up poo, and loving on some dogs, two strays had been brought in. Both were very good looking and healthy animals and one even had tags on him. We contacted the number and left a message, then of course we had to call county. The shelter is very specific about the animals it takes in. Since it is a private shelter it has the ability to do this, unfortunately the strays that do come in are transfered to county. Hopefully the owners will find their animals soon before they are adopted out.

Overall the ups and downs of this job are what make it interesting. Yes a great dog had to be put down but four more found thier forever homes. There is some hard work but the rewards are certainly fullfilling. I'm looking forward to tomorow and the Ugly Dog contest that I will be working as a representative from the Human Society.

The Really Busy Day, Kind Of

Today started just like last Saturday, aside from the fact I had a clue of what I was going to be doing. That and the fact that there were a lot more people scheduled and willing to get their hands dirty with me.

On to the weekly sanitizing of the south side kennels. Usually it is the entire shelter but we will be doing the rest tomorrow. Me still being the new guy got to scrub the worst of it. I really don't mind though as long as I have the ipod in and some good tunes to work out to. That's pretty much what it is, a good solid work out. It did still take myself and one other person over two hours to sanitize about ten kennels if that can give you an idea of how much scrubbing is actually going on. I just hope I am not part of the same crew tomorrow.

Just as the doors opened for the shelter I was told that some of the staff would be attending a training course in animal aggression. The course would be taught by the staff trainer who seems to know what she is talking about. Caesar Milan, you need to listen to this women, maybe you could learn a thing or two. The class was intense and long, I did catch myself day dreaming a little, after all it was Saturday and beautiful out. After I got back into it I really did learn quite a bit. There were so many details about dog behavior that can really come in handy in helping those animals in this shelter. Being able to read the signs of aggression and catching them early you have a better chance of helping those animals become better pets. I do have to say I feel like a pretty bad pet owner after the class once I realized how much I spoil my dogs. Oh well, they are family.

After the extensive training course I was told to take a lunch, aside from some scrubbing I really feel lazy here today. Thank goodness my fiancee brought me in a sandwich when she was volunteering otherwise I wouldn't be eating, I am that kind of forgetful. After lunch it was business as usual, kind of. Did a little laundry and took some dogs down to their runs. I did have some great news and some not so great news once I came back. I noticed TWO dogs had been adopted which is always nice to see, but I also saw one brought back due to some aggressive behavior that just broke my heart. Hopefully we can evaluate her and see what went wrong.

Towards the end of the day I had some more good and bad news scenarios. I had learned that one of the dogs was supposed to be put down due to overwhelming aggression. The dog did have some kennel issues but when you got her on her own she did really well and was trained. With all of this and a foster parents help she got a reprieve and the staff is going to continue working with her. On a sadder note, one of the dogs in the shelter was euthanized while I was on my "weekend". The animal was very skittish and you could tell he was not a fan of humans. I really do feel bad for these animals, it is not their fault. That fact that they are pretty much socially created tells me that whoever handled this dog originally is to blame.

After all of the sadness you have to think about the guys that got adopted and found their forever home. That is what this is all about. Helping those animals find the perfect families that will take care of them for years to come. Yeah, there are some tough times, but without those times the good ones just wouldn't seem as good.

On another note, the staff member that started a week prior to me has gotten another job being an animal attendant at a very well known zoo. So congrats and I wish you luck. And wish me luck because now I am the only newbie that is sure to get lots of fun jobs in the weeks to come.

Tuesday...My Friday

I came in today and realized that two key staff members were sick. What does that mean for me? No training today and a little more initiative on my part. We basically had double the work and only two newbies to keep the place running.

The two of us that were there to do the job decided to double up on the morning kennel cleanings. We seemed to get things done in a relatively short period of time but of course had to focus on those puppy kennels where the dogs love to walk all in their poop. As soon as we got the dogs down to their runs and the kennels clean it was time to move on to the cattery. This was my first time cleaning and feeding the cats. I have to say that I am not the biggest fan of cats but the ones here seem very friendly. The toughest part of this was dealing with the isolation cats (new arrivals). They seemed so scared and timid that my heart just broke.

Yesterday I spoke of a new relinquished dog that I couldn't believe that someone would give them up. Boy was I mistaken. The dog is actually part of the ASP program. Not sure what the acronym stands for but the meaning is simple. The shelter helps homes and people that are involved in domestic abuse and allows those individuals to bring their animals into the shelter while changes are made in the owner's living situations. This is one of the few shelters that does this and is yet another way that we can help the community.

After the cleaning and a short break it was time to check the laundry and make sure that the animals scheduled for surgery today were not fed. Tuesday is surgery day where the medical staff and a volunteer vet come into the shelter and make sure that the animals are spayed and neutered before they can go to their forever homes. I always feel bad for those guys but it really serves the purpose. There are so many animals that have to be destroyed every year because of negligent breeding.

On to the saddest part of my day. I was spending time with the new puppy making sure that he gets socialized when there was a call over the loud speaker for a kennel staff member to come to the front for a DB. I went up with a smile on my face thinking sweet, someone needs my help. It turns out that owners can bring in their animals that have passed. I then found out what DB stands for...Dead Body. The dog was a lab about 15 years old and had recently passed. I was told to make sure that the dog was in a bag and had to put him in the freezer in the laundry room. Now I know why the freezer is there. The poor dog's face wasn't covered, his eyes were open and he was still warm. I am not going to lie, I shed a few tears and did the duty. I not only felt for the animal but also the owner. My co workers said get used to it but I am not sure that I ever will.

To move to a lighter note, I found out that Tuesday's a small group of middle school students in a community service class come into the shelter in the late afternoon to pretty much do the nasty part of my job. From picking up poo, doing a load of laundry, and even cleaning the dishes. I feel lazy not doing this but I can see the benefits for this program. Every day I am astonished at how many programs this shelter has that really does help the community that it is part of.

Every day that I am here I feel like I am learning more and more about myself and ways of improving people's lives, from adopting animals, to sheltering those in need, to teaching young adults about hard life. More and more I enjoy (even the tough times) being part of a great shelter that gives back to the community. And on one more good note, the little puppy Sheppard mix was adopted to a loving family that will give him a lifetime of happiness.

Pre-Game Thoughts

Well, it's the day before I begin my adventure at the Humane Society and I wanted to share some of my thoughts about what I hope to accomplish in the time to come. Of course my main goal is to learn as much about running a dog shelter as possible but I also want to learn about myself and share my emotions with you.

I know that this is not going to be easy, mainly from the financial aspect of it all, but I also know that these experiences will help me grow as a person. I know that I am not the brightest person out there but I want to share my feelings on the the subject of finding good animals good homes and hopefully spark a few conversations in the mean time.

I hope that many of you continue to check back to this blog and see what every day holds because I know that there are certainly going to be some adventurous days both personally and with the animals. I also don't want anyone to be upset at what I say or share because there might be some touchy subjects that arise about euthanasia. Please feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts. We learn from sharing experiences and opinions and grow from listening. Talk to you tomorrow and I can't wait to share the adventure.

Getting Started

So here is how it started and this is how it is all going to go down. My fiancee, yes I'd like to congratulate myself, and I decided to volunteer at our local humane society about five months ago. I have to tell you that it is an unbelievably rewarding thing to do. Now on to the real story, if you didn't already know I have been looking for a new career since being part of a large downsizing with my past company and me trying not to be a pessimist have decided to do something that I truly care about and stop worrying about the monetary aspect of a career.

I am lucky enough to have a significant other that supports me in my dreams and aspirations that has allowed me to pursue my love of animals (and writing) further. That is why I have decided to take a position as a kennel attendant where we volunteer. I will be doing everything from helping out with adoptions, feeding, working with the on site vet, and of course picking up poop. Oh, and I can't forget the part about giving and getting lots of love from all of these animals in need.

On to the goal of this whole experiment. I hope to share my experiences in the day to day operations of the shelter and pass along some of the adoption stories that will better explain the benefits of finding the right homes for these animals. There will be tough times I can guarantee it but I also know the goods times will out weigh the bad.

I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and hope that you to contribute your animal stories. And if you're an enlightened person you might just know how your pet feels about you.

Why Not?

It's pretty simple when you think about it. Things in this country have changed and we must adapt in order to survive. My story isn't any different from many of yours, the only thing that I have changed is my perception on what work really is.

It begins about two months ago when I was laid off. Some think that is a terrible ordeal when all I take it as is an opportunity to reevaluate what "I want to be when I grow up". When I am asked what I "did" for a living I usually replied "as little as possible". I look back on that now and realize that all I was doing was getting a pay check. When you are forced to deal with loosing that security you really contemplate what living is in this country.

Now don't get me wrong, I miss my financial freedom and all of the fringe benefits that went along with doing the jobs that I have done. And don't think that I didn't try my hand many times over applying for those big paying careers. I think my confidence level really sank when I was turned down for a job at Starbucks. Hey, competition is tough and we got to do we have to do in these times. That's when I saw a posting on Craigslist for a kennel attendant at my local humane society where I volunteer.

I have taken a part time position at the shelter in hopes of helping the community, myself, and of course sharing my stories with you. Times are tough, we all might as well take a step back, look at our goals in life, and try to make a worthwhile impact on this planet for our children. I look forward to hearing everyone's comments and maybe even sharing some stories.

I have always had a passion for animals and the benefits that having a pet can have. Growing up with dogs I probably have a little bias for them but in general all animals can play a role in our happiness and overall well being.