Animal Shelter Reflection

There is a Pedigree dog commercial I see on television which catches my eye and my heart. It tells us to not pity a shelter animal. When I decided to become a Veterinary Technician, I anticipated working in a vet office. Unpredictably, I changed my mind. Approximately a year ago, I began volunteering for the Denver Dumb Friends League at the Buddy Center in Castle Rock. A shelter is not always the easiest place to work. Nevertheless, I feel it is where I feel most able to make a difference. There is plenty of heartache, but I seem to have a knack for calming and comforting the frightened animals, and that makes me feel good. My volunteer role involves helping with surgery, giving animals their medicine and processing incoming animals. In addition, I help with Humane Education, which includes speaking with groups about animal care. There are tremendous pros and cons to working in a shelter. In the following paragraphs, I will evaluate the shelter setting to decide if this is where I will be most fulfilled. One aspect I enjoy about a shelter is the changing atmosphere. Each visit brings a novel experience. On occasion, exotic breeds of animals arrive, such as the time animal control brought in a wolf/dog hybrid. These hybrids are illegal to own, but we processed him, so he could be taken to a sanctuary. Other times, I witness kittens born and experience the amazing scene of a mother and her babies. My favorite experience is when a lost animal has a microchip because we can reunite them with their family. A recent highlight is the story of a family who moved here from Idaho and lost their cat. It was brought to the Buddy Center, and we discovered a microchip. We contacted the family, and they were ecstatic. The cat had been missing f...

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...ply experienced more life than other dogs. If they were human, we would call them wise. They would be the ones with tales to tell and stories to write. The ones dealt a bad hand who responded with courage. Don’t pity a shelter dog. Adopt one. And be proud to have their greatness by your side” (Pedigree Adoption Drive).

Working in an animal shelter is the best decision for me because of the changing atmosphere, educational opportunities and my compassion toward animals.

Citation

1. “Pedigree Adoption Drive.” Commercial. Viewed on various television stations. Last viewed on July 8, 2010. http://www.pedigree.com/03Adoption/Adoption-Video/AdoptionCommercials.aspx .

Works Cited

“Pedigree Adoption Drive.” Commercial. Viewed on various television stations. Last viewed on July 8, 2010. http://www.pedigree.com/03Adoption/Adoption-Video/AdoptionCommercials.aspx .