Animal Welfare Professionals

What about your job makes you the most proud of what you do?

 

Leave your reply in the comments below!

#qotw
#PeopleManagement
#community
#introductions

I am mama bear to my team. Nothing makes me more proud than seeing them work together to problem solve or flex during crazy times. Also, to see a staff member go from naysayer to champion of change. I know that may seem like it has nothing to do with saving lives but I'll tell you, having a positive, open minded and flexible team has everything to do with saving lives and helping build a more happier, more compassionate community.

#PeopleManagement

I love seeing my team come together to celebrate a success and say "that was great...but we can do more." 

#PeopleManagement

I love teaching people what rescue is all about. It's amazing to watch new volunteers, with no background or experience in rescue, join our organization and then discover this incredible passion for saving the lives of animals.  

#PeopleManagement

The people I work with.

#PeopleManagement

I love knowing that my work helps to make us all feel a little less alone in our crazy animal welfare world and empowering everyone to continue to do the work that they're passionate about and getting pets in homes!

As a volunteer at Mustangs To The Rescue, I love knowing that just scooping horse poop for a few hours a week helps to make an impact on the lives of the horses and their well-being. Also knowing that we've given Kate, the amazing founder, one less thing to have to do that day.

#PeopleManagement

Reading these great responses and knowing how hard people work to make a difference in the lives of the pets and people they work with and serve!

#PeopleManagement

Seeing concrete examples of how people working together toward a common goal can do a whole lot more than a bunch of people, groups or organizations working solo. I'm proud that what I do ultimately saves more pets' lives and helps others do the same! 

#PeopleManagement

Seeing the creative tools and resources we offer to shelters -- like photo overlays, bio writing templates + prompts, and brand new photos -- in use out in the world of social media makes me super excited. But what makes me incredibly proud is seeing that those tools are helping them to showcase the fosters and available pets who needed a moment in the spotlight, and then hearing that those animals went home. Those are real "mission accomplished" moments that we're humbled to be just a tiny part of, and make me so grateful to be a partner to the organizations doing the heroic work. 

#PeopleManagement

Being a part of the team at Maddie's Fund that helps the very hard work that people on the front lines of animal lifesaving are doing every single day. Proud to help let them know about  tools that make their job easier and maybe a little more fun.  Best part is hearing from caregivers at conferences and external events about how they use the tools, and the incredible successes out there. Every. Day. An. Inspiration!

#PeopleManagement

I'm always so impressed with how many selfless people work and volunteer at Valley Humane. So many incredible people giving so much to help others. I'm so honored to work with them.

#PeopleManagement

Sharing our Fostering 4 Rock Stars model with other shelters so they can have great foster programs, and save more kittens! You can't help but feel good when you can answer a question, give a bit of advice, or help solve a problem for another group. Helping others be more successful, and find those resources is a win-win for everyone! It took us awhile to figure out a system that really works, and we don't want anyone else to reinvent the wheel, so-to-speak.

#PeopleManagement

I think what makes me most proud is to hear our volunteers and fosters and adopters tell their story of Taysia Blue Rescue. Everyone's story is a little different but all of them are amazing!

#PeopleManagement

What makes mecmost proud of the volunteer work that I do for the APA of Missouri is when children tell me that they were inspired to adopt a differently-abled animal because of my humane education presentation.

#PeopleManagement

What makes me most proud about my job is how it lets me help staff and volunteers in the amazing work that they do for their shelters and rescues!

#PeopleManagement

It makes me very proud to be part of Maddie's Team and to help save animals by using our tools and technology.

#PeopleManagement

I'm "only" a volunteer, but I'm passionate about helping save animals and making their stay in our rescue facility as much fun as possible until they get adopted. I'm proud of putting my organizational and administrative skills to use in fundraising and marketing to help the animals.

#PeopleManagement

There is no such thing as ONLY a volunteer!  Volunteers ROCK!

#PeopleManagement

I am a volunteer at Manatee County Animal Services in Florida.  I am glad to be able to take photos of the dogs for the shelter.  Every person involved at the shelter do their part to make this stressful place for the animals as good as they possibly can...for that I am grateful...

#PeopleManagement

When I am able to rescue an animal from a neglect situation by talking the owner into relinquishment.  This way it educates the owner about what’s best for the animal.

#PeopleManagement

Aside from all the other good reasons that I do my job, my favorite part is when an animal that has really struggled finds their home--whether that's an undersocialized cat that we've nurtured into liking humans, or a cat who came in very ill that's turned it around, or a senior cat that's lived with us for a long time that finally makes that perfect match. 

#PeopleManagement

I always have a big smile when someone leaves a positive review about their adoption and how much the staff and volunteers helped them find the perfect match. 

#PeopleManagement

I love being a part of an animal welfare organization. I love to see the transformations and adoptions. I am most proud of my work when I get the chance to see how it has impacted an animal. Every time someone comes to adopt an animal that they found through social media, a volunteer helps an animal overcome trauma, a supporter donates to an animal's care after reading a letter, or someone connects with us and our mission (even though they have never come to the shelter before), I feel connected to what I do. 

#PeopleManagement

Successfully placing long-term shelter residents and conquering behavior modification goals! 

#PeopleManagement

I love talking to people on the front lines and hearing the creative ways that they are helping animals.  It is amazing to hear how much we can do with few resources but abundant creativity!

#PeopleManagement

Stories like this make me SO proud of helping other shelters start day foster programs. This is an email a participating shelter got from a DDO participant. 

"Hope this email finds you well. It just wanted to update you. It's almost been a year since I've taken Harley out for the Doggy Day Out. The day after I took him out, I went back to the shelter to adopt him.  We just had a bond the day we met that I could not just leave him at the shelter.

He's brought so much happiness and love in the family. I am so happy I got the opportunity to take him out.Thank you for doing Doggy Day Out. I wouldn't have met Harley if it wasn't for this program."  

#PeopleManagement

I am most proud of the program that we set up to relocate animals who would, if they stayed here in rural SW Tennessee, become the next generation of breeding population and provide spay/neuter for those who did stay.  We have been working hard -- all volunteer efforts -- and it is paying off after 5 years!  The local county shelter used to be over run and have to either euthanize or turn animals away.  They had no room for ACO seizures or any extra holds for court cases.  As of 2016, they became no-kill by % definition mainly because we were pulling so many for transport out and spaying those here to not reproduce.  Working with our shelter, pulling from the surrounding counties (who have no shelters or animal control programs of any type), and finding funding for cat and dog spay and neuter works and we at HARTT can prove it by the numbers!  Proud of our mission-focused team of 5 volunteers who works 24/7/365 to make this work!

#PeopleManagement

I'm so happy and proud of all your hard work and dedication! That's an amazing feat. 

#PeopleManagement

Seeing my kittens go from tiny babies to confident 2-3 month old kittens who are ready to take on the world!

#PeopleManagement

Hearing updates and seeing photographs of long term animals at our adoption center in their new comfy foster homes :-) My favorite is a photo of them curled up on a couch or bed!

#PeopleManagement

Knowing that a dog or puppy that suffered from parvo or distemper got adopted.  We put so much effort into saving their lives that when they get adopted I am so proud of our team, how far we've come and what we have accomplished.

#PeopleManagement

Seeing a former behavior or socially challenged dog get adopted into a wonderful home and see the awesome updates from the family. All due to the work our shelter has done by having faith they can turn around. We get most of our dogs from high kill shelters...so many would not have made it out if we had not pulled them.

#PeopleManagement

We successfully transitioned from a "shelter" to transport hub.  As a result, 2,800+ dogs (and a few hundred cats) have new homes in Colorado.  We have an excellent partnership with Dumb Friends League.  

#PeopleManagement

I am proud of so many things it's hard to choose one. Witnessing a perfect match with an adoption; seeing one my own fosters go to their new home and crying happy tears; matching a lost report with a found animal at the shelter and helping reunite them; and watching and participating with our team of staff and volunteers bring a fearful cat or dog around to the point of adoption.

#PeopleManagement

Building a great workplace that takes care of the people who work together to save the animals. I love being able to do good for the animals and the people (and the people who do good for the animals, and the animals who make the people happier, so it all just grows!). 

#PeopleManagement

Is this is a care for the care-taker type program?

#PeopleManagement

No, it's a focus on a positive and healthy organizational culture to help keep our people (staff and volunteers) engaged and supported. It does have some of the same impacts of some of those programs, though, I suppose! 

#PeopleManagement

Knowing that I am helping one cat at a time and looking back over my volunteer work with satisfaction for being part of s/n over 114,000 cats!

#PeopleManagement

I would build a large brick and mortar facility and trucks to have a relocation program for our bully breed dogs. I turn down 4-5 each week and I have almost 70 dogs right now. I cannot place hardly any of them and I am desperate to find a relocation network that takes all types of dogs, and bully breeds. Right now I have a mixture of dogs.

#PeopleManagement

Being part of the team at Shelterluv has been a dream job because we get to use technology to help shelters and rescues run much more efficiently and go paperless. The part that makes me the most proud, though, is when we make changes and add new features directly based on feedback from our users!

#PeopleManagement

I feel like I've been able to make real changes in the profession of public animal control and sheltering over the last 20 years. Helping get Jacksonville to support community cat programs as one of the first cities in the US to go all-in on not only feral but also semi-social cats was a big leap for me but the overall results of taking the risk of public criticism to see the lifesaving possibilities was very rewarding. Also being able to take two Florida communities - Jacksonville/Duval County and Tampa/Hillsborough County from less than 50% lifesaving to 90%+ with sustainable results makes me very proud as well.

#PeopleManagement

The lives that I save.  The nutritional health I supply and the help I provide to other rescues.  The transformation of illness to health right before my eyes.  You can see the love and thankfulness in the eyes of the animals rescued.  LOVE IT.

#PeopleManagement

Every Tuesday evening, 25 - 40 homeless dogs (and some cats) leave PAAS in Vinita, Oklahoma for a new home in Colorado.  They arrive Wednesday morning at Dumb Friends League and quickly find a new home.

#PeopleManagement

It warms my heart every time! To see an animal arrive whether stray or surrender feeling scared, unsure and broken and to watch them flourish is a gift I treasure. Maybe its their first wag, or that first deep sigh that makes you feel they are telling you "I trust you" or that moment when they rest their head on you and feel that love again. We are blessed in so many ways in the animal world! I've been with Attleboro Animal shelter since 1999. We are a no kill shelter and our hearts and souls are with each animal every step of the way. Teamwork makes the dream work!

#PeopleManagement