I'm going to be volunteering every Monday for a couple of hours. Really, it couldn't be any better- my whole responsibility is just to open all the cat cages, let them roam around the room and play with them so they get socialized and reduce stress. This rescue mostly focuses on special needs animals that other rescues turn away and are normally euthanized. I've been looking for an animal rescue to volunteer with since the New Year, but all seemed weird or sent animals to kill shelters. This rescue is a perfect match for me. Also, the cats are kept at a local PetSmart, which is convenient for me and just so happens to be at the end of a beautiful 15-min drive through hill country.
I even had my first breakthrough today! There is one cat, Cadence, who was taken from Town Lake Animal Shelter the day before she was about to be put down. She is a long-haired tuxedo and was abused and left with a broken tail so she's not too fond of people. She's not mean or scared, she just doesn't want to have anything to do with people. I guess I have a special place in my heart for tuxedos because Minnie was one, so I gave her special attention. The other volunteers were thrilled when Cadence jumped on my lap and started licking my face. They said she had been with them since June and hadn't "connected" with anyone. That made me feel great and made for a wonderful first day of volunteering.
It's amazing how a couple hours of helping others can be so beneficial to oneself. I'm just so happy to have found an organization that I can volunteer with and it not feel at all like work. Once they get to know me better I'm going to offer my help with marketing/fundraising. I already have some ideas that I think could help them but I want to get to know the organization a little better first.
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