From Randi Fair

I haven’t been to the PSPCA yet because I’ve been really sick, but I hope to tag along with Amanda and Hannah this Sunday. I have been before and I always have a really great time. The grounds are really clean and the staff are really friendly and seem to really care about the animals. There always seems to be at least a few volunteers when I visit, so I never feel like the animals go days without interacting with someone. I really love the special rooms where volunteers and potential adopters can bring animals to become better acquainted. I’ve never volunteered in the kitchen or surgery post-op rooms, but I’d like to. I hope to spend most of my time with the cats because their cages are just so small, it breaks my heart. The rooms are all really bright and I love that because I have been to some shelters that looked more like a dark dungeon and I think the sunshine helps the animals’ moods as well as the staff and public who are coming to a place that is arguably a little sad.

 

I really enjoyed Ms. McCrystal’s presentation. I did know some of the information such as the PSPCA being the country’s first shelter and that it was primarily formed to service carriage horses. I didn’t know anything about the wonderful women who were behind the founding of PSPCA and Morris and that was really exciting to learn about. Caroline founded the PSPCA, the women’s branch and the AAVS which is just incredible. What an inspiration she is! I liked that Rachel mentioned Elizabeth Morris’s policy of never turning away an animal as I think this should be a tenet of each and every animal shelter. So many shelters turn away animals in need when they are at maximum capacity, and I think that is absolutely despicable.

 

I hope to be a little more introspective after I get to volunteer this weekend. Really excited to snuggle some cats this weekend.