A Day In The Life Of A Volunteer

I have previously mentioned that I would be volunteering at a dog and cat rescue organization. I have now volunteered for 8 hours. I am learning the ropes and believe me, there are a lot of ropes to be learned! I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I never realized how much goes into a rescue organization, I'll just call it an RO, less typing involved, plus I love abbreviations.

I think I mentioned before that I was going to be a dog walker/kennel technician. My first day I was sorta just thrown in. The regular staff member in charge of the dogs, was on vacation, and the RO was very short staffed that morning. I also found out, that the day I selected to volunteer, was their busiest. Imagine that! This girl really has to work now! I think I walked around 6 dogs that day. I quickly found out that I should have brought my knee braces. The dog walking trail is a 1/2 mile long, so each dog I walk, I walk 1/2 a mile. So I remembered my knee braces the second day, although it didn't really help, considering I walked 8 dogs. I was in a lot of pain by the time I was done. I worked for 18 years on my feet, mainly walking. Now, I don't do near as much walking, so I am wondering if that is why I am ending up in so much pain, because I am not doing it as much. I hope the next few weeks get better, if not, I might have to not walk as many dogs. The pain is extreme and makes it difficult to walk, and I don't want to cause anymore stress to my knees, since I don't have medical insurance.

Of course each dog is different. When you enter their "suites", that is what the RO calls them, some of the dogs are really mellow, some are really hyper and some are just plain crazy. I should be used to crazy right? WRONG! I have to remember that most of these dogs have not had proper training, nor have they had someone handling them properly. So every time I enter a suite, I have to train. Just trying to get a leash on some of these dogs, is like pulling teeth. I had one dog jumping up and down all over me, I think it took me 10 minutes just to get a hold of it's collar so I could put the leash on. The dog did not know what sit was, or how to behave. I suppose that is why a lot of these dogs end up at shelters. People buy a puppy because they think it's cute, than when it gets older, and they don't know how to train or don't take it to obedience classes, they decide it is too much and either dump it somewhere or try to sell it or take it to a shelter. I won't even get into bad dog owners. They don't deserve my time, nor do they deserve any space in my blog.

Than there are the older dogs, that no one wants. There are two 10 yr old Jack Russell Terriers that have been in and out of the RO for 2 years now. One was adopted last week, only to be brought back again. This keeps happening. The problem is they have potty accidents, in the house. I feel so bad for these Jack Russells, they are so sweet, but I know it will be nearly impossible to find them homes with this problem. The RO is thinking they are going to have to take them to a Jack Russell Rescue.

There is an older hound dog mix, he is so sweet, but very high energy. He walks well on his leash, but to get a leash on him, oh my!

Another one, a Bull Terrier/Pit Bull mix is so hyper and rambunctious, that he is for experienced dog walkers only. He has been at the RO for a few weeks now. He is a beautiful black and white, with excellent markings and only 8 months old. But his playfulness and energy is preventing him from getting a home right now. He definitely needs a certain type of home, with a large fenced yard and someone who is home more often, someone who will train him. There are high hopes for him.

Than we have a homely Terrier/Poodle mix. She was dumped at a construction site dumpster, left to fend for herself. She ran around terrified for a long time, scared. Someone finally was able to catch her and take her to a shelter. Thank goodness that this RO rescued her from the shelter. She is a little fearful of humans, but she warms up pretty quickly. She walks really well on the leash and when we came back to her suite, she didn't want to go back in. She was adopted!!

There were two 10 yr old, gigantic Golden Retreivers, one weighed 114 lbs!! I walked him, I only weigh 104 lbs! He pulled me pretty good until we got to the walking trail, than he mellowed out and did well. Both were adopted!

There is a Australian Cattle dog mix, that is new. He was shaking so bad in his suite. But once I got him out on his walk, he did great. Another volunteer went into his suite later on and gave him a ton of hugs and kisses. Every time I walked by his suite, he'd have his nose sticking out of his sniff hole and would look up at me with his beautiful, sad eyes. I am sure he will be adopted by next week.

Yes, the younger dogs and puppies go first. A lot of people don't want the older dogs. But they are being adopted, which makes me feel better.

I did get to do something I didn't think I would be doing so soon. I got to go out to the off leash dog area and do a dog socialization test. With the Bull Terrier/Pit Bull mix. He passed with flying colors! He gets along really well with other dogs, and he got some serious play time in today!!

I tell my OH about every minute I am volunteering, about the dogs, about their history, everything. He asked me today, if Sadie was there, how quick I think she would be adopted. I said pretty quickly. Then he asked, are you sure? I had to re-think my origional response and decided that with her socially anxious, insecurities, and aggressive nature, that she would NOT be able to handle an environment like that, she couldn't take the different people coming in and out of the suite, of all the other dogs, of all the people looking in to see if they are interested in adopting. She couldn't take it. She might be beautiful, but there is no way she would ever pass a temperament test to go to this RO. Of course, he asked the same question about Bailey. Bailey would be adopted in a heartbeat. He loves every one, every dog, he would be gone quicker than I can snap my fingers, oh wait, I can't snap my fingers!

I get a little emotional with some of the dogs. I try not to take anything personal. It is hard though. It is hard because none of these dogs at the RO, deserve to end up in a kill shelter. They are all sweet, loving, good dogs. With some training, or a lot of training in some cases, they will all be great companions. I am very thankful to the RO that I volunteer at, that they save as many dogs that they can. I know they, or I, can't save them all, but just knowing that I am making a difference in these dogs lives, is so rewarding!