I continue to walk our select dogs in the neighborhood. The three miles stretches Sammy's endurance now, so sometimes it's just Sadie and Minnie. Minnie continues to bark the first mile before she calms down. I take Sara and Sammy on shorter mile-loops on dirt roads south of us. Both dogs tire out from that jaunt alone. I don't walk Zeke because being on a leash spazzes him out and he always lunges at neighborhood dogs he sees. Sweetie (Dahlia) still is very nervous about leashes in general and doesn't get walked, either.
I haven't yet ventured into the peaks since my failed attempt up Lutz Canyon a few weeks ago.
My passions about the animals and the shelter are changing. I am fighting my waning passion for the animal shelter. I haven't pinpointed the root of the cause. While there is great talent among the volunteer crew, it's obvious some do not like one another and let their anger out in our private online group. I also get conflicting information from the "dog advocates" as I do from the chief ACO. Polarity has increased between "cat advocates" and "dog advocates" and I feel close to both groups.
My work doesn't get complimented by the staff, and, in fact, I go there now with nervous anticipation that the staff has more complaints about something, whether it's the wrong photo, the wrong comment to that photo, or something someone else said or did that I must convey on. The photos and commentary are what drew the membership from an anemic 102 to the current 317 members in less than two months. Now the staff wants me to stop the commentary (but not the photos?). That won't happen in today's social media-frenzied young world.
The worst accusations are the false ones, of blaming me for things others have done, such as posting derogatory comments about the shelter or staff. That comes with being co-administrator of the Facebook page. I should have known. My biggest mistake is also fearing that every animal is at risk of being killed. Alas I can say there is no extant urge to kill off every pit bull or dog that's been there for over ten days. Those, I can honestly say, are vicious rumors.
Does anyone who's still volunteering there actually enjoy going to the shelter? It's the welfare of the animals that drives us to that place. We do things the paid staff should be doing but doesn't. And even though we are all volunteers, we are somehow made to feel imperfect, a nuisance and a liability. It is the volunteers who pay for the basic medications, the volunteers who take sick pups to local vets, volunteers who pay out of pocket for any needed items.
We have about twelve volunteers, all with select preferred days to go there. Most seem to go in teams there, as a sort of protective cover. I've always enjoyed Wednesdays. Usually I am there by myself and don't get sidetracked by idle chat once I'm there, unless someone is there to adopt an animal, or spend time with one. Weekends are out for me, but that is also when the general public likes going there; we get plenty of dog walkers on Saturday from Fort Huachuca, which alone is great PR as I admire soldiers who volunteer their time without being asked. These soldiers are expected to give enough from their free time, so working with the animals is a nice gesture.
The nice thing about volunteering at the shelter is being able to say with confidence that the shelter is ~NOT~ a "high kill" shelter as some still call it. Yes, it euthanizes sick dogs, unsocialized dogs, aggressive dogs, dogs with court-ordered euthanizations or those brought in by their owners for euthanization. None of the dogs has been destroyed this year simply because of over-crowding. The staff does try to work with volunteers and rescues to prevent that.
I had enjoyed my time with each animal, letting them run around the yard and photographing them. Yet even among the group I'm scolded for still posting on the shelter's Facebook page. We are to form our own entity, I'm told, and let the staff take their own photos. The staff makes me feel as if taking the animals' photos is a privilege (that I can lose at any moment.) Never have I felt so underappreciated. It's like being back at my old unit at Fort Hood.
My time away this summer will clear up my mind about why I'm still volunteering at the shelter. Others are in the same predicament about leaving the group. Brittany, the "dog whisperer," left today. Others are also contemplating leaving or stepping back. Will I resume my time there this fall when I'm back for the fall semester?
I know I feel blue about all this, but I also know that I will get over the blues. I always do. Anyone who has worked in animal welfare understands that this is never easy, and it can get downright depressing tending to the homeless animals. Volunteers are often the only voice these animals have, and they need us.
After posting this yesterday I learned that Brittany's senior rescue dog, Zeus, an aging black Mastiff, was euthanized. He had been having problems walking on his hind legs; the vet said he was born with a hind leg deformity that only got worse as he got older. Brittany was very upset about Zeus' demise, and understandably so, and opted to resign as dog advocate for the group. I do hope she returns later, refreshed, and willing to work with the animals again because she does have a talent for pits and Chihuahuas.
ReplyDeleteLisa, another volunteer, had her young cat Karot diagnosed with FIP yesterday, and the DVM had told her that Karot would most likely pass on in a few days. It only took a few hours, as Lisa posted on our private group's page that Karot had passed last night, slipping into a coma while she sat on Lisa's lap. That was so sad to read, because Lisa's postings kept informing us of Karot's slow slide across the rainbow bridge. Even though I never met Karot, reading about it brought tears to my eyes because I certainly can understand the pain and sadness of losing a beloved pet. It never gets any easier as I get older.
It wasn't a good day for our group pets yesterday, and add to that the heinous acts of terror at the Boston Marathon that killed three people and injured over 130.