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The Truth About Working at a Shelter

Safe

By Brianna SummersPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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When most people think about a shelter they think of the smell of dogs. The smell of feces and urine, loud barking, whining, and bowls clanking. Not my shelter. My shelter is good, clean, still loud at times but we take care of our own. I work at a no kill shelter in St. Charles, MO. When I go and get dogs from other animal control facilities the description I gave above is all I see. I hear good things and bad things about these other shelters, but regardless I go and get those dogs for our shelter. Working at a no kill shelter, like mine, doesn’t make my job any less hard than those other shelters that do kill and are government funded. I still get people that come in and cry to me about how they can’t handle their dogs anymore, how they are moving, how they are having a baby, or just that they don’t want to have a dog anymore. I see it all, every day. All of these dogs eventually find good, loving, stable homes but when they come in they don’t know why they are here. They are scared, and alone abandoned by their families. We try to make them feel safe, giving them a nice bed to lay on, toys, food, and fresh water. We give them a bath, trim their nails, and clean their ears to make them feel better. You see, most of our dogs come from homes but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dirty, ears infected, teeth never been brushed, never been given a bath. So we make them feel clean and warm, like they may have never felt before. We try to give them all the comforts of a real home, without the family part. Until one day that family comes, and they finally feel safe.

You see, I work at a very nice, no kill, non government funded facility, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see fear. That doesn’t mean I don’t see the trauma in these dogs' eyes. I see it all, and when you hand me that leash and walk out that door you have no idea how hard it is to have to drag them away as they cry and scream for you to come back because they are scared. They are absolutely terrified that their only family just abandoned them. So please, hug your animals tighter. Give them that extra walk, that extra treat, or buy them that really expensive toy. Because a lot of other dogs don’t get that, and it helps me to do my job knowing there are good families out there with dogs that are loved. That’s what I look forward to for these dogs, that’s what I want for them.

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