Volunteering isn’t for everyone but there are plenty of organizations in the world today in need of volunteers. When you volunteer around animals, you are tested at every turn. You find yourself facing some hard truths about the human race, you need compassion and the ability to also steel yourself at times when faced with what humans can do to other species.But, it can also be so rewarding.
I just dismissed a new volunteer. She showed up to help out and I took her around and introduced her to the cats and told her their stories. When she met Juno (one of the new arrivals with a chronic URI) snot was just pouring out of his nose. He was trying to eat, but the snot was draining down into his food bowl.
She stepped back and took a look around and said “You know Ms. Miller,it would be easier on me if you stopped taking everyone’s mistakes!”
I turned to look at her and saw her so defeated and broken- and she hasn’t even started yet! I told her I was grateful she stopped by and hoped she found some place to volunteer that would fullfil her but this wasn’t the place. Then I escorted her to her car and watched her drive away.
I have never turned down someone’s offer to help me with physical labor here- but for her- this isn’t what she would be able to handle. You have to have compassion but you also have to have a stout heart and know these animals are not at fault for being here.
Well said! I help with a feral colony. TNR is never ending. Cats that I know & love disappear regularly, their fate unknown. Breaks my heart. But humans aren’t all bad. Occasionally, folks stop & ask me what I’m doing. Only one yelled, many more say thanks. Of course, watching hungry cats eat is really the best reward!
I think you did the only thing you could for everyone’s sake.
The ‘mistakes’ are the ones who need help the most. Your story reminded me of a G.K. Chesterton tale in which several people condemn a priest for being so hard on a man for a past sin. But when it is explained to them what the man really did, they become enraged at the sinner, and cannot forgive him. The priest then explains that it’s the true sinners who need forgiveness, and implies that it’s easy to forgive something that you don’t believe is truly bad.
So it is with helping in any situation. There are a thousand volunteers for the cute, cuddly animals who are no problem, the ones who aren’t really in trouble; many fewer for the smelly, puking, violent ones who are so afraid that they lash out. It’s no happenstance that the logo of the World Wildlife Fund includes a panda bear, and not a moss spider.
It’s disgustingly messy little lovebugs like Juno who need volunteers the most.
If I had seen that poor kitty I would have gone an grabbed something to wipes its nose or at least tried to help it eat without eating the snot as well. Poor thing and ty for doing the right thing by these kitties.
@Bellan Well said!
@MA What you do is very difficult. I’d be surprised if a lot of volunteers didn’t find it to be just too much for them.