Gaining Perspective

I think that the most important thing that the PSPCA gave me was an additional perspective to compare to my previous experiences. In terms of reading, it helps to be able to see all sides of an argument, rather than blindly accepting what you read. Many arguments in the animal world side very heavily in one direction, so having experiences with people who are on both sides of an issue allows me to see and know how I feel in a much clearer sense.

Working with animals is very much a give and take between the individual animal and your own personality. I think that being at the PSPCA made me more aware of the way in which people interact with animals on all ends of the spectrum. In previous work with training and owning animals, it always seemed that a dog/cat could become incredibly attached to one person. After being around so many different personalities of humans and animals at the PSPCA, it made me think about how the uniqueness of two individuals could fit incredibly well together, even when others cannot seem to reach an animal.

Volunteering at the PSPCA was not only a great place to interact with the animals, but it gave me a great deal of insight into how people choose their pets. In class it was mentioned that when potential adopters come in its almost like grocery shopping instead of getting to know an animal. I think that this was an interesting observation that could be viewed a few different ways. On one hand, how do people really choose their pets? In the current American lifestyle, we don’t allot time from our day to spend every day at a shelter for a week looking for the right dog. If you were buying a dog from a breeder, it is often based on looks or one meeting of the dog. If you rescue a stray from off of the street, do you really know their personality or how they will behave in your home? So I think that it is hard to see potential adopters in that sort of light. That being said, not every person should own a pet and I think the decision itself is often impulsive. Thinking about these sorts of social issues is definitely something that has affected me after my time at the PSPCA.

Overall, I think that more people should participate in their community. When I first came to Temple, I began volunteering for Tree House Books, a non-profit bookstore that also supports an after school program for children in the area. Being immersed in the area and families around Temple really helped me to understand a culture that I hadn’t been exposed to before. The PSPCA was a similar experience, where I had never been in that type of culture. I truly enjoyed looking at this aspect of societal/animal culture in an urban setting.