SIP Summer Camp Week 8 - Puppies!!! Humane Society

Week 8 - Volunteering at the humane society.

My mom is one busy lady! Work, school, church, family, and she is always helping organize some big event from the high school graduation to Genealogy Fairs. She was hesitant to take on one more thing, I get that, I know you get that! She did take it on and she called me after she left the animal shelter and sounded so happy... just HAPPY dang it! I don't know how to describe it exactly so I'll stick with happy. Never mind that my kids were tired tantrum throwing little turkeys while we were on the phone and on our way home. We had been in town at the hospital for our Random Acts of Kindness which was last weeks post. Hearing her excitement made me happy even with crazy wore out kids, it was the combination of excitement at the hospital and two hours of running errands that did them in.

My mom in her own words...

"I thought I was too busy for a service project, besides I don’t have any kids at home or grandkids near.  Thank you DeAnn for encouraging me to find the time.  It was such a wonderful experience!  And FYI not nearly as time consuming as I was imagining it would be.  Thinking about what kind of service project was not as difficult as I thought it would be either.  Kids and animals are a natural combination which led me to our local Humane Society.  I contacted them to inquire about their needs.  Donna, the vet tech, went over a list of items and we set a date and time for a tour.  I then designed an invitation with info and gave it to parents and kids at my church and posted it on Facebook.  Kids came to me very excited and asked for the door hangers to leave at homes in their neighborhoods.  The boy scouts leave bags and notes when they have food drives and so I borrowed this idea.  Leaving a list of needed items and a date you will return to pick them up allows people time to go through their house or to the store to purchase the items on the list.  And judging from the items donated it was definitely the right way to go about it.  Two families that participated in getting donations weren’t able to make, but arranged to get the donations to me.  

We met at the Humane Society at 1:00 and Donna gave us an introduction to the equipment used in rescuing animals of all kind and the purpose for the Humane Society.  She walked us through the cat and kitten rooms, dog and puppy runs and outside where larger animals are held and checked out one of the trucks they have for transporting animals.  A lot of the puppies are sent to Denver where they have a better chance of being adopted.  We saw the operating room where injured animals are treated and where they are spayed and neutered by volunteer veterinarians. 

A lot of newspapers are used in the kennels and areas where puppies play and so we unfolded newspaper to make it easier and faster for workers and volunteers to place clean newspaper in these areas.  And then came the best part, getting to bath and walk the puppies.  One mom brought her daughter during her lunch hour and had to leave just when we started to give the puppies baths. She was so sad, but mom promised to bring her back again.  Another mom plans to bring her boys back to volunteer before getting a pet so they can understand the work having a pet involves.  Another mom plans on returning and volunteering because she and her daughter enjoyed it so much.   

What a rewarding experience, service is painless and fun!"

The loot they collected to donate to the humane society, not too shaggy...haha.

How to organize it. 

1) Call the humane society in your area and talk to them about their needs and there rules on volunteering. I don't imagine they will turn you down. If they do their crazy! Don't give up just call another animal shelter!

 2) Put the word out on Facebook, super easy!                   

3) E-mail a list and info to those who want to participate. Feel free to copy this info. 

This is what my mom sent out...

This is an opportunity for us to get together to serve our animal 

friends, I hope you will join me!The humane society is always in need 

of supplies and we can help. You and your children can walk through

the neighborhood and hand out the list of needed items to friends 

and neighbors. Most will need time to collect the items. Arrange a time

to pick them up at a later date. On the designated day we will take the

supplies to the humane society. On that day they will give us a tour

and explain what the humane society is all about. After the tour kids

under 12 can unfold newspapers for cages. To bath and walk dogs kids

under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Remember to take into account 

any allergies your kids may have.

The shelter in your area may have different needs or may have an item or two that aren't listed below. I left a little space so you can add an item or two if you need to. You can also highlight the most needed item on the list once you print them out. Print it out in landscape and you got 4 lists ready to give out!

Click to download

 

How cute are these puppies?!

There were some families who couldn't come to the animal shelter on the day of the service project but who really wanted to go so they are all going again. Will all the families go back every week or month, I don't know, but it's good to expose yourself and your kids to these opportunities and experiences. You don't know how it may impact them, or you.

Thanks Mom for doing this! Thank's to everyone's effort on making this a success! We are all in this together :)

Buttons are on the right side bar. I wish I had more time to try and get my blog out into the blogoshphere more. I do things, trust me I do but I spend most of my time coming up with ideas, organizing outings for The SIP project etc. If everyone who reads this took a moment and shared it ONCE you would be doing me a great service.