A rewarding adventure
I had an amazing eye opening opportunity to work alongside the ASPCA, a nationally recognized animal rescue organization. I spent a week working with their team alongside 3 of my friends and fellow animal lovers. Without divulging too much information as it is still an open case, i will say this, It was the most labor intensive, emotional and mental experience i have ever had, but the most rewarding one and I would do all over again.
This trip was a volunteer opportunity where our job was to care for hundreds of dogs daily by feeding, cleaning, and providing them love they have never seen. Giving them enrichment and rotating them in and out of kennels to the larger kennel to stretch their legs. Some were so scared and tucked away in the corner and then there were others that would greet you at the front of their kennels with wagging tails.
You may ask, well whats different than that and working in a local shelter? It was the magnitude of what these hundreds of dogs have been through that made it so much different. Speaking from personal experience since i have worked in our local shelters, this was completely different.
These dogs were starved, tortured, and extremely mistreated to say the least and to spare the graphic details. The one thing though that truly makes me love dogs more than anything is their resilience. They can go through hell and back and yet still know how to give and receive love. Thus the reason i have so much respect for dogs and all animals. I can only hope more and more people in our world can find the love from an animal because it sure is amazing!