What Do You Learn From Volunteering At An Animal Shelter

v Lessons Every Pet Parent Tin Acquire From Volunteering at the Humane Society

• By Kate Miller
• July 12, 2021
• 3:55 pm

I've been a domestic dog lover every bit long every bit I tin can remember. I of my parents' primeval habitation videos is of me borer on the glass to our labrador retrievers outside, laughing every time they approached and begging for more.

But being a dog lover and actually agreement them are non the aforementioned. I learned that from my time volunteering at the Lawrence Humane Club.

Back in 2016, fresh out of college, I was itching to prefer a domestic dog of my ain. After 18 years of always having a canine around the house, my new dog-unfriendly apartment was not ideal. So, I signed upwards for my first volunteer session at the Humane Lodge and rapidly found my niche working on the behavior squad. My soft spot is big, rambunctious dogs who don't know their own size — and the behavior squad had those special children in droves.

Trivial did I know that those dogs would be the all-time practice run for adopting my own dog, Dempsey, a twelvemonth afterward.

Volunteering at the Humane Society is more than just a great way to give back to our animal community. It also actively teaches you how to be a improve pet parent yourself. Accept it from me; once you've worked with these animals long enough, you're prepared for annihilation.

Here's what I've learned in the last iv years of volunteering — and how it helps me be a better dog mom every day.

i. Animals are not one-size-fits-all.

Just like people, every animal is unlike. Some demand active, energetic households to be happy; others thrive with a comfortable couch and a curt walk every day. When you adopt, you need to think about how a dog will fit into your current lifestyle — and heed to the adoption counselors who know the animals best.

If y'all have children, you should think twice about adopting that rambunctious dog whose kennel card says "Best with older children." Or, if your idea of an active Sat means moving from the burrow to the kitchen (no judgement!), a working dog like a shepherd may not be the correct fit for you lot. Don't try to strength an animal to exist something they're non; think how you can adapt your lifestyle to fit them.

Afterward seeing the adoptions that didn't work out, I waited until I was 100% set up to provide the lifestyle my ideal dog would demand.  Because my starting time apartment was a small studio, I made the hard (but right) option to wait until I had moved out to get the kind of dog I wanted. Now, my bigger infinite, backyard, and dog-loving landlord are the perfect fit for my 65-pound mutt.

ii. Breed characteristics are guidelines, not rules.

Many people take brood preferences when it comes to dogs, and that's totally OK. Just don't expect a dog to have certain characteristics just because they "expect" like the perfect golden retriever you had growing up.

Most shelter dogs have gaps in their personal background, and that includes their Deoxyribonucleic acid. The shelter does not accept the time or resources to Deoxyribonucleic acid examination every creature then it'southward their best educated estimate when an animal comes into their care. Take my boxer mix, Dempsey. It'due south obvious he's got a lot of boxer in him — but he'south also got some mystery brood that gives him his dark color and longer nose. Those mystery breed characteristics also present in other ways; he'due south much lazier than whatever boxer I've had in the past, and he's not great around children the way boxers are "expected" to be.

If I had adopted him expecting stereotypical boxer behavior, I would have been disappointed. Simply I besides would take been searching shelters forever to discover a dog that may not even exist! Expect the unexpected with your adopted dog, and embrace the things that make them different.

Dempsey snuggling with his stuffie

3. All shelter animals demand patience, training, and agreement.

Beingness in a shelter is stressful for animals — but and so is moving to a new environment after days, weeks, or fifty-fifty months of existence in the shelter! The dogs the behavior team works with are frequently virtually sensitive to this change, and they may act out in response.

We put in a lot of hard work to do basic training with our long-timers, simply those skills oft need reinforcing upon placement into a home. Even dogs who nosotros think are housebroken can have accidents in their new homes! Be prepared for a learning bend the beginning few months after bringing your dog home, peculiarly if the adoption counselors mention a canis familiaris displays certain behaviors. They're not going to automatically disappear; you have to put in the work to make it happen.

When I brought Dempsey habitation, he had a tendency toward mouthiness and overarousal. I had some long-term scratches and bruises while I trained him to self-calm and control his impulses, but it absolutely took longer than I thought information technology would. (He still needs a refresher form at present and then.) But I didn't give up, and the training we did together brought united states of america closer in the end.

Animals are like children; they need your guidance and teaching to sympathize what is and isn't appropriate, and they'll oft need to be told more than than in one case. Don't requite up on them; just give them some more than time. Remember that the Humane Society staff tin ever offering grooming communication and suggestions to make the adjustment easier!

4. Not all dogs get along, and that'southward OK.

Allow me tell you well-nigh a friend of mine: Nufasi. He was the sweetest fiddling chunk of a bully breed mix, and we went on several outreach adventures together. We even went to the movie theaters, where he got belly rubs and popcorn from every unmarried person who stopped past.

But Nufasi waited months on terminate to be adopted. Why? He needed to be the only pet in the home.

If a domestic dog is described as "single pet only," it doesn't hateful they're less worthy of a family unit. Some of the sweetest dogs I've met at the shelter prefer having the dear all to themselves, and it'due south and so hard when they become passed up by potential adopters who don't have pets withal, but are because more than in the future. And so, "only in case," they overlook these single-pet lovebugs.

But here's the thing — at that place's no guarantee a dog billed as "domestic dog-friendly" volition be that way forever, or will like every single domestic dog they meet. On the other hand, some dogs deemed "single pets" may grow more confident in being around other animals  and they could potentially coexist with other animals later down the road. My dog, Dempsey, loved hanging out with doggie friends in his get-go few years with us. But, as he's gotten older, he's become less tolerant of other pets, enough that we now consider him a "unmarried pet just." Sure, we would have liked to be a two-dog household at some point, just keeping Dempsey happy and safety is our top priority.

Oh, and as for Nufasi: He establish a wonderful family who was prepare to spoil him like the just canis familiaris he deserved to exist!

5. Animals demand us to be their advocates.

While it sure would be cool if they could, animals tin can't talk. They can't tell the states what they're feeling or what they need, so it'southward our job to interpret their body language and desires on their behalf. Take Dempsey, for instance: If he's being extremely ornery, I know he'southward gone way too long without a walk. Then, no matter what I'grand doing, I lace upwardly my shoes and head out the door with him.

The animals at the shelter are the same. Every one of them has different needs and will answer differently to different stimuli. The behavior team, adoption counselors, and volunteers practice amazing jobs at deciphering those cues and meeting those animals' needs. When you volunteer long enough, y'all start the recognize the difference betwixt a "feed me" and "walk me" bawl — and it's the same matter when you're a pet parent.

I'm so grateful for all the piece of work that the Lawrence Humane Society does for our brute community — but there's e'er so much more than that can be done. Delight consider donating, volunteering, or fostering to help well-deserving animals go the love and attention they need to thrive.

KATE MILLER

Kate Miller is a marketing director/stay-at-abode dog mom to a rambunctious rescue boxer named Dempsey. In their costless time, the 2 of them (plus Dempsey's dog dad) enjoy hiking, trying new treats, and long naps on the couch. Follow her on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn to see more of her work!

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• Lawrence Humane Lodge, pet parent, volunteer

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Source: https://lawrencehumane.org/2021/07/12/5-lessons-from-volunteering/

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