Bideawee Tails from a Volunteer
ALL IN A DAY'S WORK by Florence Scarinci
"And finally I would like to thank our dedicated volunteers without whom we could never function". How many times have you heard a similar statement? It is said so often that it may have lost its impact. But the frequency of its utterance cannot diminish the depth of its truth. To get a clear picture of the contributions that the shelter volunteers make to Bideawee, I recently spent a Saturday at the Westhampton shelter under the tutelage of long time volunteer and mentor, Gail Dempsey. I was amazed and impressed by the variety of the tasks the "Animal Care Volunteers", the "Administrative Volunteers", and the "Humane Educators" perform and the professionalism with which they approach their unpaid positions. Their responsibilities include socializing the dogs and cats, learning training techniques, cleaning litter boxes, keeping dog runs spotless, doing laundry, participating in responsible pet ownership education, helping with fundraising activities, taking photos, even tending the plants outside the building. In one year volunteers contribute a total of 20,000 hours. Truly the shelter volunteers are valued members of the Bideawee team. The following is a typical day.
Bright and early, at 9 a.m. on a Saturday, while the rest of the world was enjoying a second cup of coffee, a group of eight volunteers: Donna, Sue, Renee, Barry, Russell (who later in the day would go home to bring his daughter, Brittany, back to the shelter to help), Mai Lan, Jean and Gail, assembled in the training room for a demonstration by Bideawee's Westhampton trainer, Ritsa Galitsis. Ritsa has an impressive resume as an animal behaviorist. She is also an articulate communicator and teacher. Since volunteers enter cages, take animals for walks, socialize them in rooms that simulate living quarters, it is important that they know how to use appropriate positioning when entering a kennel and how to recognize signals the dog is conveying with his body language. Ritsa's many years' of experience have honed her observation skills. She knows that a wagging tail is not always a sign of friendliness, nor are flattened ears always indicative of submission. She has created a program called STAR (Socialization, Training Adoption, Readiness) to help the volunteers teach the dogs basic obedience skills: "sit", "down", "come", and "wait" that will make them more easily adoptable. So there we were sitting in a circle in the All Purpose Room while Ritsa demonstrated some positive training techniques with what could only be termed a less than willing pupil. Ritsa held in both her arms Samson, a newly arrived, small, 8 week old pup who was proving to be quite a handful. Ritsa explained that he was a resource guarder. Although he weighed only a few pounds, he was more than willing to challenge any bigger dog or human who got between him, his food bowl, his toys, or his blanket. This little guy was brought to Bideawee in the hopes that the staff could match him with just the right person who could give him a forever home. To get him ready for adoption volunteers needed to learn some behavior modification techniques to help Samson learn some manners-a very big responsibility and one that they relish. Immediately I noticed how the volunteers know each and every one of the shelter animals. They know their names, their histories, and their idiosyncrasies. They love each and every one of their charges whether they are residents for a few days or months or even years in a few cases. The joy they experience when one of the dogs or cats, puppies or kittens is adopted just radiates. With the long term goal of a permanent home for Samson, it was with rapt attention that they sat and listened to Ritsa hoping to learn something that would transform this feisty pup with the Napoleon complex into someone's adored pet.
At ten a.m. Gail took me on a tour of the cat facilities. There are actually several places where cats are housed in Westhampton. Bideawee staff is sensitive to each individual cat's needs. If cats are social and do not mind interacting with other cats, there is an attractive "kitty cat habitat" for them to enjoy. It has everything a cat values: scratching posts, perches, places to hide, comfy beds, munchies, and even private litter box quarters. But if a cat is fearful of other cats, just prefers his own space, or is new to Bideawee and needs time to adjust, there is a room where he has his own private condo and does not have to share bed, box, or dinner with any other feline. Volunteers help out in both areas. They play with the cats, groom them, even scoop litter if necessary. Some volunteers have been known to foster a new mom and her litter in their homes so that when the kittens are adopted, they will go to their new homes happy, healthy, and familiar with humans and human habitats.
Time was passing quickly and soon it was time for Gail to complete the training of two new volunteers. Before a person can work in the kennel, walk the dogs, play with the cats, etc. he/she must complete a three hour training course, taught by a mentor. During the course the mentor explains policy, procedures, safety, and demonstrates skills such as appropriate body language when entering a run. I sat patiently while Gail explained the importance of socialization to the newbies.
But I was chomping on the "gentle leader" wanting to walk a dog. Gail explained how volunteers and dogs are matched. A color-coding system is used. Volunteers are coded according to their ability and experience and dogs are coded according to their tractability. Gail, the new volunteers, and I went into the kennel to select a "green" dog for the "green" recruits.
While I was accompanying the volunteers who were walking a puppy, getting him used to wearing a leash and starting housetraining, Gail withdrew to the laundry. I found her there about 40 minutes later, washing towels and folding blankets. Gail spends every Saturday at Bideawee. Gail has a full-time job. Saturday is her day off. But the satisfaction she derives from helping the dogs and cats is actually recreation for her. Other volunteers share that same attitude. Sue works nights but she spends all day Saturday walking and playing with the dogs, giving them some exercise and a breath of fresh air, wanting to make their stay at Bideawee as pleasant as possible.
On any given Saturday there are about 15 volunteers in the shelter, coming and going at different hours, and giving as much time as they can. Volunteers, who make an initial six months commitment, come in every day of the week as well. Like Gail and Sue they could be taking a lesson, walking a dog, playing with a cat, doing laundry, cleaning a run, or even interacting with potential adopters, helping them select the animal that would best fit their circumstances and lifestyle. This interaction with clients is very important and it is why knowing the personality of each animal waiting for adoption is so vital.
Volunteers will also serve outside the shelter. During the year there are many events that both publicize Bideawee and raise funds. There is the Easter "Eggstravaganza" and the summer "Love on a Leash", to name just two outreach and education events. There are also opportunities at street fairs to set up a booth and answer questions about services and programs, sell raffles and merchandise, and most importantly, show off a dog who is ready for adoption. Amy Hraniotis, the Learning Center Manager at Westhampton, says she relies heavily on the volunteers at these events.
Volunteers also serve in clerical capacities. These people are called "Administrative Volunteers". They file paper work, answer phones at the front desk, or even post information about available dogs to various internet websites.
There is even a volunteer with a green thumb who tends the flowers outside making the shelter inviting to potential adopters.
As I was preparing to leave, late in the afternoon, I witnessed the reward of everyone's hard work. A mother and two children had been in earlier in the week. They had recently lost their dog to cancer and wanted another dog. They had fallen in love with a puppy, Blues Clues, in the shelter and they wanted Dad to concur with the decision. So the whole family was back at Westhampton playing with the dog. After a few minutes in the All Purpose Room, Dad got up, smiled and nodded. Little Blues Clues would be going home with his new family. The volunteers gathered around. They took a picture of Blue and his new family. Smiles were evident all around and there were a few tears as well in the eyes of the volunteers. This is the moment they work for, the reward for walking the dogs, teaching them basic obedience, doing the laundry, scooping the litter, the "thank you" more meaningful than any acknowledgement during an awards dinner.
Love animals? Want to make a difference to dogs and cats waiting in the shelter for a forever home? You have talents Bideawee can use. Give the shelter a call. The "payoff" is priceless.
Manhattan 212 532-4986
Westhampton 631 288-0591
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