[kalipso2]

i've been doing a lot of thinking about volunteering somewhere. i used to volunteer at a theraputic horseback riding facility for handicapped kids. i love horses so it gave me an opportunity to be around an animal i wouldn't normally get to interact with. the kids got to me though. one class was autistic children and it just broke my heart seeing their eyes with no emotion behind them. the other class was with physically challenged kids. wow, they tried so hard and enjoyed being on those horses but it hurt me to see them having to get back into their wheelchairs.

i've been thinking of either finding a parrot rescue or a cat rescue. i'm going tomorrow to tour a no kill cat santuary. its run by this little old lady and if you agree to volunteer you get a key and can come and go as you wish. you feed, water, change litter boxes or just play with the cats.

i just get so emotionally involved and i'm afraid of coming home depressed after each time i volunteer. if any of you volunteer, how do you keep your emotions in check and not obsess about finding these animals new homes?

[Cosmo & Marti's Mom]

well, it sucks, but you get used to it. really. I volunteer at a parrot sanctuary that is about 350 cockatoos plus some tiels and a few other random birds. sad, but with toos, they are so hard, really makes you want the breeders to stop for a good 20-30 years.. especially since toos are the hardest birds to have most people can't do them. I recently went to anotehr volunteers house (another thread that no one posted on, grr) and saw his set up, he has about 18 M2's. he does it right. but i digress, you basically have to go in with the mentality that you are helping the animals as much as possible by volunteering there. and thats more than they were receiving before. Just don't try to save them all by taking them all home!

(oh and my sanctuary fosters, but doens't do adoptions (I don't agree with this but not my sanctuary either))

[Taavi's Mom]

Kris,
You asked a very difficult question at least for me. You need to have compassion to be willing to volunteer but that same compassion is what gives us the emotions we feel about our volunteering. Impy's post really stated it best. Good luck with finding just the right place to volunteer. It can be very hard but the rewards can be even greater!

Jan

[Alusdra]

Yeah volunteering can really be tough. I volunteered at a municipal kill shelter with budget that didn't always even cover food. If I didn't go, there was no one else. The staff was great, though, and the local college (where I went) would always band together if they ran out of something crucial. But let me tell you, there are many animals that were euthanized that I still get teary over, and several that died due to the abuse/ neglect they suffered before getting dumped. But I thought of it this way- every second I could give to those animals was one second of compassion more than they had before- for some, perhaps, the first. And anything you put into the animals goes directly toward their adoptability. I did ask after animals, with caution. On occasion I was pleasantly surprised... usually not. But how happy all the animals were for the treats and pets and walks was worth my discomfort, IMO. That, I suppose, is the essence of volunteering.

[Carrie~Anne]

Volunteering can be very heartbreaking, but sooooo rewarding.

I volunteered at our local SPCA last year and it was wonderful. 99% of the animals in there are well adjusted and just need good, permanent homes. It was great to go and volunteer each week and to know that I'm helping those who can't help themselves.

I just kept focusing on the fact that I made a difference in some cat or dog's life for a few hours each week. It was also great to go in each week and hear that so and so found a new home!! That was the most rewarding part.

[KirbysMom]

hi, Kris!

I have volunteered for years at Rescue Village. Since you are local to me, I will provide information via PM if you're interested. It is an unlimited stay shelter (meaning no kill, with the only exceptions being animals that are suffering or too aggressive to be safely adopted). I do not find it sad because, frankly, these animals are safe and getting better care than many of them have ever had. Over 200 volunteers a week come in to walk and train dogs, cuddle, feed and clean up after the cats. All the contact increases the animals' socialization and adoptability. The shelter is privately funded, bright, beautiful and clean.

Since I know I've reached my limit of personal pets, this is my way of giving back while getting my animal "fix". It's so rewarding to watch animals come in confused,regain trust in human beings, and be placed in a "forever" home. I feel very blessed to be part of it. Let me know if you want the info -

[kalipso2]

i just got home from checking out the cat sanctuary i was thinking about volunteering at. whether i like the place or not... it was further away than i thought it would be. it took almost an hour to get there with rush hour traffic.

jeanne has a huge heart when it comes to these cats and kittens. unfortunately, she doesn't have much to work with space wise. she lives out in the country and has a lot of property. the buildings she has for the cats are old almost shack-like structures.

when i first drove up and got out of my car about 10 cats ran up to me to be pet. we went into the first "house" that is two small rooms with 2 cat doors that lead to outside fenced in areas. she has about 40 cats in that building. all the cats are friendly. a couple of them were a little under weight but not because there wasn't any food. there was plenty around. there is a 6 week old kitten "rosie" who just had surgery last week to fix her back leg that got hurt when some jerk threw her out the window along with 3 other kittens and the mommy cat. the mommy cat and other 3 kittens died. inspite of all that rosie can move pretty good and is absolutely beautiful.

we walked out to her barn where she has 5 horses, a fan tailed dove and a rooster. there are about 15 cats that hang around the barn outside. bandit, a huge black and white cat, followed us around everywhere. in a room inside the barn were kittens that are almost ready to go up for adoption. they were SOOOO adorable.

we walked down another driveway to the area where the feral cats are kept. this was another 2 room shack with an outside area. most of these cats are kept outside and are more afraid of people. she also had a mommy cat who is taking care of four 7 day old kittens whose eyes aren't even open yet and they aren't even the mommy's own babies!

next to that shack was a small shed with some cats she hasn't had a chance to get tested for diseases, etc. she also has an area for cats that do have diseases but i didn't see that area.

jeanne knows all her cats by name and all the stories how they got to her. she really cares about these guys. but i'm not sure this is the place for me. i just felt so dirty and smelly by the time i left that as soon as i got home i got right in the shower. plus the drive was a little far.

its definitely something i will have to think about!

[Carrie~Anne]

Sorry to hear it wasn't exactly what you were looking for. You do have to be careful with certain places because you don't want to get sick yourself, or bring it home to your own pets.