Yes!!!

[Doggie07]

Oh my goodness, I am so excited! I just applied to volunteer at the local animal shelter and I look forward to it so much! My application was accepted and I'll be starting tomorrow! I feel so happy. I applied to do stuff like:

Train dogs
socialize dogs
socialize cats
clean kennels

I'm very excited. Right now, the shelter has a siberian husky mix who looks like Lucy except he's black and then they've got two batches of puppies! They are so cute! There's a batch that's pit bull mixed and a batch that is beagle mixed.

They also have some of the cutest kitties!

 

[HayleyMarie]

Good for you !

I hope its an awesome positive learning experiance for you.

Have fun, make friends, and learn all you can!!!

 

[xpaeanx]

Good for you !

I hope its an awesome positive learning experiance for you.

Have fun, make friends, and learn all you can!!!

ditto.

 

[Doggie07]

Thank you guys!

 

[lizzybeth727]

Congratulations! Have fun!

 

[Doggie07]

I'm tired and very fustrated.

Today was my first day at the shelter and I hated it. It was boring. They wouldn't let me do a thing I applied to do! I don't understand. If volunteers can't do certain things, then why were those things on the app?

All I could do was play with kittens. They were cute, but I am there to do more than that.

I am very fustrated and resigned as a volunteer. I'm going to look at volunteering a at vet clinic.

 

[MandyPug]

I'm tired and very fustrated.

Today was my first day at the shelter and I hated it. It was boring. They wouldn't let me do a thing I applied to do! I don't understand. If volunteers can't do certain things, then why were those things on the app?

All I could do was play with kittens. They were cute, but I am there to do more than that.

I am very fustrated and resigned as a volunteer. I'm going to look at volunteering a at vet clinic.

You don't always get what you want when you volunteer at places. Sometimes they need you more somewhere other than what you WANT to do.

Also they have to train you, did you ask why you weren't doing dog stuff? Perhaps whoever trains the dog volunteers didn't show up?

You were there what... An hour or two? Then just gave up? Where's your commitment? Are you not willing to stick it out for a couple weeks to even see what happens?

 

[AllieMackie]

I'm tired and very fustrated.

Today was my first day at the shelter and I hated it. It was boring. They wouldn't let me do a thing I applied to do! I don't understand. If volunteers can't do certain things, then why were those things on the app?

All I could do was play with kittens. They were cute, but I am there to do more than that.

I am very fustrated and resigned as a volunteer. I'm going to look at volunteering a at vet clinic.

Whooaaa, calm down. Did you speak with them? Make it known that you'd like to do more, and ask why you cannot. Perhaps they want to get to know you and your skills first. They aren't going to let you train animals on your first day.

I think it was very silly of you to sign up only to resign after one day.You said on your app that you wanted to help to socialize cats, and that is what you did today. Even the smallest jobs at a shelter are important and need to be done by someone.

 

[lizzybeth727]

I work with volunteers a LOT at work, and trust me, most nonprofits are going to do whatever they can do to make sure that the volunteers have fun and will come back.

BUT, even as a volunteer, you should be there to assist the staff and do whatever needs to be done, whether it's something you asked to do or not. Volunteers really have to look at the big picture: no, I don't enjoy scooping poop, but look at how much time and money it saved the staff and the organization for me to do it instead of them.

Also, probably about half of the volunteers we get only volunteer once, and never come back. Training volunteers - even in very small tasks - takes a lot of staff time. New volunteers definately slow us down, and usually when we're training a brand-new volunteer we get a lot less done in the day than we could have done without the volunteer. But if the volunteer keeps coming back and is committed to learning and doing what we need him to do, it's woth it. So the first day a volunteer works at my organization, we usually have them doing "boring" tasks; they don't get to do the "fun" stuff until they've come out a few times and we know our training of them is not going to go to waste.

I'm really sorry that you had such a boring and frustrating day, but I do think it'll be a lot better once the shelter gets to know you and your skill level, and sees your level of committment. Of course you could try volunteering somewhere else, but frankly, you'll probably have the same experience there on your first day too.

 

[Upendi&Mina]

I'm tired and very fustrated.

Today was my first day at the shelter and I hated it. It was boring. They wouldn't let me do a thing I applied to do! I don't understand. If volunteers can't do certain things, then why were those things on the app?

All I could do was play with kittens. They were cute, but I am there to do more than that.

I am very fustrated and resigned as a volunteer. I'm going to look at volunteering a at vet clinic.

I thought the bolded part needed addressing. You applied to help socialize cats, that's in essence what you were doing by playing with the kittens. Just sayin'.

 

[Doggie07]

You don't always get what you want when you volunteer at places. Sometimes they need you more somewhere other than what you WANT to do.

Also they have to train you, did you ask why you weren't doing dog stuff? Perhaps whoever trains the dog volunteers didn't show up?

You were there what... An hour or two? Then just gave up? Where's your commitment? Are you not willing to stick it out for a couple weeks to even see what happens?

Yes ma'am, I did ask why and they replied, "Volunteers don't do that" and "We have volunteers to play with the animals, not do work" I was there for five hours today. But you're right. She did say I could come back if I wanted so I'll give this another shot. I just expected . . . more.

 

[Doggie07]

Whooaaa, calm down. Did you speak with them? Make it known that you'd like to do more, and ask why you cannot. Perhaps they want to get to know you and your skills first. They aren't going to let you train animals on your first day.

I think it was very silly of you to sign up only to resign after one day.You said on your app that you wanted to help to socialize cats, and that is what you did today. Even the smallest jobs at a shelter are important and need to be done by someone.

Yes ma'am, I even gave examples of the stuff I wanted to do. I'm sorry, it just wasn't what I imagined it to be. I'll go back. When they found out I knew how to teach dogs basic commands, they left me alone with a bulldog mix. I taught him "Sit"! He had ears like a french bulldog.

 

[Pam111]

I worked at a shelter in college and the volunteers only got to play with cats at first and sometimes walk dogs if they were old enough/strong enough and even then, only certain dogs. But after the person was there for a little while, they trusted them to do more.

And, yes, it was hard for us to do more with the volunteers due to time. We could leave them in the enclosed cat room, tell them to let one cat out at a time, and it was pretty safe and easy. Doing things with the dogs or cleaning or anything else did take time for us to teach, and we only had about 4 people on staff

 

[Amber]

It's just your first day..it's not like they would have you doing the full job. Honestly, if a new volunteer showed up on their first day at the rescue I volunteer at and tried to do the same things as people who have been there for years, the rescue would not work very well at all.

 

[Doggie07]

All right, lemme tell you guys about the day.

I arrived and two puppies needed shots. So I held a lab/beagle in my arms while the employee gave the first one a shot. The second one was harder. He was a puppy, but bit of a biter and would not stay still. It took two of us to hold him while she gave him a shot.

Then, she kinda showed me around the shelter and we talked a bit. Before long, people were surrending animals, mainly cats. I got to name one of the cats Tiger! But anyway, there was this two cats that were super fat and one of them had an attitude. He had such an attitude that a sign was immediately placed on his cage stating, "Will bite".

I walked a Alaskan Malumute mix who reminded me a lot of Lucy. He was such a sweet heart and loved to be petted and scratched around the ears. He was really a big baby!

Someone also brought in a batch of lab puppies, two yellow and two black. Then more kittens arrived. Also, for the first time, I saw a ferret in person! He was yellow, while the ferrets I've always seen on tv were black and gray colored or something.

I unfolded some newpaper to put in the cages and played with the kittens. There were a lot of kittens! One of them was so adorable and just sat in my lap purring while I petted her. Then, there was even one who looked like a Siamese.

Next time, I'll do some more obedience training with the dogs and puppies for sure. And then more socializing and walks.

 

[Lossalfling]

It does take time to learn there routines and the animals. Shelters cannot just let new people run amouk.. I worked at the shelter here for almost three months three times a week before I was allowed more of a free run with the animals... it will all come in time.Just hang in there and know every little bit you do do is enriching an animals life.

 

[JessLough]

All right, lemme tell you guys about the day.

I arrived and two puppies needed shots. So I held a lab/beagle in my arms while the employee gave the first one a shot. The second one was harder. He was a puppy, but bit of a biter and would not stay still. It took two of us to hold him while she gave him a shot.

Then, she kinda showed me around the shelter and we talked a bit. Before long, people were surrending animals, mainly cats. I got to name one of the cats Tiger! But anyway, there was this two cats that were super fat and one of them had an attitude. He had such an attitude that a sign was immediately placed on his cage stating, "Will bite".

I walked a Alaskan Malumute mix who reminded me a lot of Lucy. He was such a sweet heart and loved to be petted and scratched around the ears. He was really a big baby!

Someone also brought in a batch of lab puppies, two yellow and two black. Then more kittens arrived. Also, for the first time, I saw a ferret in person! He was yellow, while the ferrets I've always seen on tv were black and gray colored or something.

I unfolded some newpaper to put in the cages and played with the kittens. There were a lot of kittens! One of them was so adorable and just sat in my lap purring while I petted her. Then, there was even one who looked like a Siamese.

Next time, I'll do some more obedience training with the dogs and puppies for sure. And then more socializing and walks.

This is alot more than playing with kittens... but you said all you did was play with kittens.
You really need to keep your story straight, atleast.

 

[AllieMackie]

All right, lemme tell you guys about the day.

I arrived and two puppies needed shots. So I held a lab/beagle in my arms while the employee gave the first one a shot. The second one was harder. He was a puppy, but bit of a biter and would not stay still. It took two of us to hold him while she gave him a shot.

Then, she kinda showed me around the shelter and we talked a bit. Before long, people were surrending animals, mainly cats. I got to name one of the cats Tiger! But anyway, there was this two cats that were super fat and one of them had an attitude. He had such an attitude that a sign was immediately placed on his cage stating, "Will bite".

I walked a Alaskan Malumute mix who reminded me a lot of Lucy. He was such a sweet heart and loved to be petted and scratched around the ears. He was really a big baby!

Someone also brought in a batch of lab puppies, two yellow and two black. Then more kittens arrived. Also, for the first time, I saw a ferret in person! He was yellow, while the ferrets I've always seen on tv were black and gray colored or something.

I unfolded some newpaper to put in the cages and played with the kittens. There were a lot of kittens! One of them was so adorable and just sat in my lap purring while I petted her. Then, there was even one who looked like a Siamese.

Next time, I'll do some more obedience training with the dogs and puppies for sure. And then more socializing and walks.

I'm so confused. You said all you got to do was play with kittens. Now you're saying you assisted with administering vaccinations, walked a dog, socialized cats, AND you're being allowed to do obedience training next time? How is this not doing anything? Even if you DID just play with the kittens, the socialisation with people is extremely important for the kittens, as opposed to staying in a lonely cage all day.

I plan to volunteer with more animal rescues, and you can bet I won't expect -anything-. I am there to do as they ask of me. Even menial jobs need to be done by someone, and it all benefits the rescue itself. You're there to help the rescue and learn about animals, not to do all the Big Important Jobs right off the bat.

 

[Doggie07]

This is alot more than playing with kittens... but you said all you did was play with kittens.
You really need to keep your story straight, atleast.

Okay then, let me make a correction: I played with kittens most of the time.

 

[lizzybeth727]

All right, lemme tell you guys about the day.

I arrived and two puppies needed shots. So I held a lab/beagle in my arms while the employee gave the first one a shot. The second one was harder. He was a puppy, but bit of a biter and would not stay still. It took two of us to hold him while she gave him a shot.

Then, she kinda showed me around the shelter and we talked a bit. Before long, people were surrending animals, mainly cats. I got to name one of the cats Tiger! But anyway, there was this two cats that were super fat and one of them had an attitude. He had such an attitude that a sign was immediately placed on his cage stating, "Will bite".

I walked a Alaskan Malumute mix who reminded me a lot of Lucy. He was such a sweet heart and loved to be petted and scratched around the ears. He was really a big baby!

Someone also brought in a batch of lab puppies, two yellow and two black. Then more kittens arrived. Also, for the first time, I saw a ferret in person! He was yellow, while the ferrets I've always seen on tv were black and gray colored or something.

I unfolded some newpaper to put in the cages and played with the kittens. There were a lot of kittens! One of them was so adorable and just sat in my lap purring while I petted her. Then, there was even one who looked like a Siamese.

Next time, I'll do some more obedience training with the dogs and puppies for sure. And then more socializing and walks.

That's a WHOLE lot more than I would've expected for the first day.... or even the first month. What were you expecting?