My orientation at the shelter...

Just got back from the orientation at our Arizona Animal Welfare League. It went really well. We had a room full of people so there are a lot of caring volunteers out there YAY! I think I have decided that I would like to work with the training and behavioral part of the shelter. I am bad at it and they will train us on how to do things so it will really help me work with my dogs better. Plus, they gave some examples of dogs with issues and how they rehibilitated them so they were adoptable. I love that! I would feel so good if I helped rehibilitate an animal that might seem hopeless to others.

This shelter doesn't take dogs from the public. They resuce animals from county shelters that are scheduled to be put down. Their website is www.aawl.org just in case you would like to see what they are all about. One of the cool things they have going on is the Mutt Show on my birthday this year! October 20th! Gotta be there for that. It is supposed to be a lot of fun. I will finally get to showcase my mutts!

I have a class tomorrow and another class on Saturday. I will get my 'rowdy and shy dog' certification next Saturday.. if I pass I guess. I cannot wait to start diggin in to all this. Just thought I would let you know

One more thing.. I heard something disturbing today at the orientation - it could be happening elsewhere as well but it is definitely happening here. There is some man advertising himself as a shelter. What he does is take dogs in and then sells them to laboratories!!! They warned us to be careful of anyone saying they will take your dogs immediately without any questions. One guy turned his two dogs in and two hours later changed his mind and called this man back. The man said he had already found them homes... NOT LIKELY! That is how this scam was found out. So, please warn others - I hope this isn't happening anywhere else and I sure hope this man is caught here. I just wonder if what he is doing is illegal... false advertising is all i can think of.

[aly]

That's exactly how I started all my volunteer work at my shelter. Sounds very similar. You WILL get addicted and go there alll the time. I can't imagine what my life was before I started going to the shelter. It is the most gratifying and wonderful thing to do. You will go through many painful emotions with things you see, but please stick with it. The more hurt I see, the harder I try, and the more animals I would like to help. It is hard but I know you can do it!

[RachelJ]

Angel, I am so pleased that you are pursuing this. Please let us know different things of interest as you experience them. I really hope that you will be able to be another one of our ANGELS OF MERCY.

[carrie]

Yeah! Go you!
It is a fascinating field and once you get a handle on it you get deeper and deeper into it! The great thing is that although it's not the quantum physics type thing many people think it is there is always new ways to look at it. No two dogs are the same and you will love it!

BEWARE!!!!
Once into the whole thing.....you will be lost in it forever! The more often you can say - I know what is going on with this dog! - The less often you will be able to get to grips with the people involved.
The more you understand what the dog needs the less you will be able to reconcile it to many people who want to take a dog home.
Emotionally it can be pretty rough.....give it like three days and you will wonder what you did before!
Keep us up to date, you are sooooooo the right kind of person to do this, and enjoy!

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Angel, I'm so happy to hear what you are doing, every person who does this makes a difference in a shelter animal's life. There are so many people on here who rescue, work in shelters and on and on, it is a pleasure to be associated with everybody who posts. Please give us news when you have time about how you are doing and who you are going to work with etc. Many of us would love to be able to do what you are doing but for many different reasons, we can't so we will be doing it through your reports. Thanks for being such a wonderful caring person.
Jackie

[Sudilar]

Congratulations, Angel. That is wonderful. I've been thinking about volunteering at the shelter where Smokey is. Maybe someday. It is great that you will be able to help all those unfortunate dogs. Good luck and let us know all about it.

[Daisy's Mom]

Angel, you really are an angel, aren't you!? You're such a great person: kind, caring, compasstionate, and generous. I hope to be more like you! I would love to hear all about your volunteer work at the shelter. I hope to volunteer also when I am old enough, but for now, like Jackie said, I can just live it through your stories! Thank you for all of your work. You are just wonderful!