Animal Welfare Professionals

What has been your favorite experience so far in your animal welfare work or volunteer life?

Tell us about a particular adoption you were part of, program you helped start, successful rescue mission or other favorite lifesaving moments!

That's an impossible question. So many reasons why I love this work. I think my favorite so far has been launching Clear the Shelters with NBC and Telemundo. Over 250,000 lives saved...so far. But, then there's the largest cruelty case ever - US Global Exotics with over 26,000 animals. And, there's Hurricane Harvey response. 

I think the best part is that there will be many more to add to the list because I still get to do this job and all of the people I get to do it with are superheroes!

I agree with @cprice. There are so many "highs" I've experienced in animal welfare both as a staff member and volunteer. I know I'm in the right field because I've never regretted a moment of it since moving from the corporate world to animal welfare in 2009.

My hands-down favorite experience has been fostering dogs and puppies! I can't choose one specific foster experience because all of them filled my heart with joy. Working with some of them on behavior issues and seeing them light up when they "got it" was so rewarding. I always love seeing their true personality once they're out of the shelter. Although most of the time it's been a tearful handoff, it's been 100% worth it. Many of the adopters send me updates with pictures and videos to let me know how they're doing. They're like my extended family! 

I started a program called Golden Nuggets, which is focused on senior dogs.  We have a page in Facebook called Golden Nuggets which features only senior dogs available for adoption.  We have senior adoption event s at petsmart.  We send senior do vs to schools for reading programs.  We have a "cuddle corner" for seniors to come and cuddle senior dogs. We hope to publish a senior calendar in the fall.

I love working with challenging cats.  I created 2 programs - TABBY and SophistiCats.  TABBY is to help cats in our holding area to feel less stressed, which will help them move to the adoption floor sooner and stay healthy. Trained volunteers work with these cats and we track their progress. The other is SophistiCats, which is a behavior modification program for cats on the adoption floor.  We work with curbing any unwanted behaviors and provide mental & physical (agility) enrichment for them. 

I have worked at the local shelter for almost two years.  My focus is socializing and aiding cats and kittens in their transition to the shelter in a way that prepares them for adoption.  I have found the music I bring in and play on my CD player that is primarily instrumental and e classical, elicits an immediate response almost without exception.  The results have been helpful in de-stressing and relaxing the cats and kittens encouraging them to be receptive to the people who visit and hopefully adopt.   I have played music at home for my own cats for years and have seen the positive effects it has with them.   

Well done, all! It is so hard to pick a favorite, but I would like to share the experience that propelled me into advocacy. Many, many years ago, I came across a semi-feral dog that was quite well-known around the area, particularly McDonald's where she was either fed or chased away depending on her luck that day. For weeks, I worked with her to try and gain her trust. But when the weather turned and my suspicions were confirmed by her growing belly, I decided to live trap her. It worked (finally!). Four days later, there were 9 more...5 girls and 4 boys. The whole family stayed with me until one by one it was time to go to the rainbow bridge. I loved them all dearly and learned so much from them. I remain convinced that they were part of my destiny. <3

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