Volunteering at a shelter

[Taz_Zoee]

I just went to an orientation to volunteer at a local animal shelter. It is such a nice place!! It is called arf for short. Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation. click here for website
I had first heard about the place while at a friends for a house warming party. Then I also met someone else who adopted their dog from there at the dog park. THEN at work one of the Board Members of a previous association works there!! I figured I must volunteer there.
I filled out the application today. I can't wait to get started. I will probably not be interacting with the animals at first, but every little bit helps.
I'm sure I'll be telling lots of stories about my experience there. Hope you don't get tired of it.

[Miss Z]

Oh I'm sure you will love it! I've been volunteering for a year and a half now and I've loved every minute. As you say, you may be faced with a lot of cleaning when you first begin, but once the shelter see how devoted you are (they get a lot of people who mess them around, who volunteer once or twice and then never come back), you'll be sure to start doing a lot more interacting with the animals (though of course there is always a lot of cleaning every day of the year ).

The only downside to volunteering is seeing some of the cruelty cases come in. This week we've had dozens of animals in from a hoarder. Hamsters, gerbils, rats, chinchillas, degus, ferrets, birds, this guy had the lot crammed in his home. And we've only got half of the critters, the other half went to another shelter!

[caseysmom]

Good for you, you will enjoy it. Me and my daughter volunteered for about a year at one of the local spca's, we only did dog walking and cat socializing, no dirty work, they had people that needed to do community service through the jail doing the dirty work so it was a lot of fun.

Somehow we made it through that year without adding to our fur household but it was difficult.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad that you're able to do this and I bet you'll enjoy it. I keep telling myself that I need to so something like this but then I might end up bringing more cats home with me.

[Taz_Zoee]

Thanks for the responses.
This shelter only pulls from county shelters. It pulls animals that are adoptable and about to be euthanized. Animals are not taken directly to arf from the public.
The only thing Bruce said to me (and probably will every time) before I left was - no more animals!!!
And I saw Laguna and Tropicana while I was there too. Tropicana is a Border Collie/Aussie mix that is hearing impaired with two blue eyes. I recognized these girls from looking at the website ALL the time. LOL
I also saw a kitty that seemed to be the same size as Paizly and asked her age. They said she was about 3-4 weeks. Now I know that Paizly is much older than that. Cathy had her for 5 weeks and I've had her almost a week. She was said to be 5 weeks when she was originally found. So she must be small.
Ok, I'm off to play with Paizly now.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I loved volunteering! It is so rewarding

I love Amber, a kitty from the site that looks like a mini Stash! I would name her Satasha

[Grace]

I volunteered at our local Humane Society many years ago. I would go in every Wednesday morning and take care of the cats. Clean cages, wash bedding - you name it, I did it. I even dragged my husband in one Thanksgiving morning.

Only problem - it was so difficult to come home and leave all those cuties behind. During my 2 year tenure, we adopted one dog, and 4 cats.

[kitten645]

ARF is a fantastic orginazation. I volunteered for them for a while. I've volunteered for the SFSPCA and for TVAR in Dublin as well. ARF is well funded and it's a great feeling to be around the place. They have amazing adoption vans! Next weekend they are participating in an event in Danville. Maybe you'll get a chance to work it?
Have you heard the story how Tony started the shelter? For the uninformed, Tony La Russa was a baseball player. A's I think. He rescued a stray cat that wandered onto the baseball field during a game and that got him started!
You'll working there!
Claudia

[Taz_Zoee]

I have no idea what I will be doing, yet. But I will probably do some of the mobile events I'm sure.
Yes, if you go to the site and read the history you'll read the story about Evie. She is the cat that started the organization about 18 years ago.

My original plan (before I got Paizly) was to be a foster. That may be on hold for some time. With Paizly being so small and occupying the extra room and with how Taz is reacting, my foster plans may not be possible. But we shall see in time how it goes. I wouldn't be able to foster a dog unless Bruce is willing to help me out since he is home all day and would have to care for a foster dog and Zoee. Unless I got a job closer to home and could come home during lunch.....hmmm......the ideas are flowing.
Although during the tour today several people admitted they would definitely be foster failures. One man already has failed fostering twice and he's back for more. LOL

[jennielynn1970]

Ohhh! Sounds like fun!

So, who wants to hedge bets on how many more residents come to roost at Cindy's house in the next year?!

[Taz_Zoee]

Ohhh! Sounds like fun!

So, who wants to hedge bets on how many more residents come to roost at Cindy's house in the next year?!

If that happens it wouldn't be in THIS house. Bruce would kick my butt out!! LOL
I am still hoping to talk him into a buddy for Zoee. Shhhh!!

[Giselle]

Hey Cindy,

I'm very familiar with ARF Our agility instructor teaches there during the week and at another facility on the weekends. Ivy and I switched to private lessons and we sometimes hold them at ARF. It's a nice facility. Golden State Greyhounds always reserves the outdoor field for playgroups. However, for irrigation purposes, the ground isn't completely level, which makes the a-frame a little wobbly. We had a lot of refusals because of that, but I don't blame Ivy. I wouldn't get on it either

Eh. I'm done rambling LOL

Have fun volunteering! I've been a volunteer at Berkeley Animal Care Services (city-run shelter) for a few years. I lost track, haha. I like working with the "red dot" dogs. Really gives you your adrenaline rush. It's like working with a bunch of Ivy's

[kallisto4529]

AWWWW Cindy that is great!!!!! Good luck to you and that shelter could not be more lucky to have you there!!!!!

[Taz_Zoee]

Well, I'm about to go to my first volunteer job. There is a Doggie Benefit in Danville and I'm helping out this afternoon. I'm a little nervous because I have no idea what I will be doing and I do not know anyone there. I am very shy around people when I first meet them. Uh-oh, I think I'm getting a nervous tummyache.

I'll let you know how it goes. Sorry, not taking the camera since I don't know what I'm doing.

[lizbud]

AWWWW Cindy that is great!!!!! Good luck to you and that shelter could not be more lucky to have you there!!!!!

I agree. You'll do great I'm sure. Congrats for giving your time & effort.