My First Day Volunteering at the Rescue

This rescue was not what I was expecting. It wasn’t an SPCA or a Humane Society; it was a small private rescue that stood alone from any organization. I don’t know what I imagined my first day would be like, maybe something in-between those Sarah Maglaclan commercials and the idealistic “Pound Puppy” toy set that I had as a kid. I knew seeing these ownerless dogs would tug at my heartstrings, but I never bothered to think any farther than that.

So when I drove up to what looked like a worn out house with a double wide extension off the back, dog pens and travel crates strewn around a small yard to the right, concerned and wary thoughts flew through my head. “Did I drive to the right place? Are they open? Is this what a shelter looks like? I set them aside in my eagerness to see some dogs.

I hadn't had much experience with rescue prior to my first day volunteering here.

Before I even placed my hand on the weather worn side-door nob, the entrance to the dog side of the shelter, I was met by the chorus of excited, stressed, and exuberant barks that I would slowly become accustomed to and even ignore in the months to come.

Walking through the front door was an experience that is cemented in my mind. It was the human equivalent of a sensory car wash. But instead of being sprayed with soap and wax and having large whirling brushes, I was accosted with the smell of dog feces, urine, bleach and one busy, if not slightly frantic, kennel worker. Dog’s were in crates lined along the walls of the room, while a group of crates with smaller dogs were gathered in the center facing outward.

Walter, the boxer, loved to play and bark. He would sing us songs if it got too quiet.

She was cleaning dirty dog bowls as she looked over at me. Shouting over the barking dogs, we introduced ourselves, and I remember being dumbfounded at how efficiently and quickly she loaded a utility tub full of dirty dishes into the dishwasher. I soon learned that Anna was an effective worker, and volunteering under her guidance meant we both were going to quickly and intensely complete every task for the day.

My “volunteer information session” was rapid and improvised. She showed me around, showed me a slip lead, leashed a dog, and directed me to either take a walk outside or play with him in the back yard while she cleaned his empty crate. Afterwards, we came back to a clean crate with fresh bedding, water and new food and she handed me another leashed dog. With just the two of us working the morning and afternoon shift, we fed, cleaned, exercised, played with, and comforted all 24 dogs.

The whole day was a whirlwind of smells, barking, and disbelief in the daily life for the dogs and the amount of work the understaffed kennel team had to accomplish. As my shift ended, Anna thanked me for my help, and asked me if I was going to volunteer again anytime soon.

You might think, after a day like that, I would be exhausted, emotionally drained, and hesitant to repeat the experience. And you would be right, but I felt extraordinarily different. I experienced the complete joy of working hard and giving my time to Anna and these dogs; I noticed the effect I had on making their day better; I felt invigorated that I had the ability to make a difference, a small difference, and that everything I accomplished that day was purposeful.

All's quiet now. We just came in from running around in the play yard, and this puppy's tired.

As I left my shift, all the dogs had quieted down and some were sound asleep in their crates. I grabbed my car keys, shook Anna’s hand, and thanked her for taking the time to show me around. “I guess, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told her sincerely. And as I drove home, I was only beginning to recognize how that first day would change the course of my life.

#rescue #volunteering