My great grandmother is a big-time animal lover. Feed the forest animals, feed all of the stray cats within the neighborhood type of animal lover. Her home is filled with complimentary stationary, stickers, and tote baggage from all the animal-related nonprofits she helps. She was additionally a cat volunteer on the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor, MI for properly over ten years. Her dedication to animals, coupled with my lifelong love for cats (and all animals, however we are able to agree that cats are the most effective), is what made me need to volunteer with animals.
My childhood cat was a candy lady named Kage (Japanese phrase for “shadow”), who lived to be 21 years outdated. I needed to have a black cat, as a result of Kiki’s Supply Service was one in every of my favourite motion pictures. I nonetheless have a tender spot for black cats right this moment. After I moved out alone, I bought my feisty queen-of-the-universe, Esther, who’s now eight years outdated and guidelines over all in her area. Each Kage and Esther got here from the Humane Society of Huron Valley.
In 2021, I adopted my canine Boomer, and bought a crash course in what adopting a rescue is all about. Boomer’s first 12 months in life was very tough, as with too many rescue canines—he was scared, heartworm optimistic, and had already been returned to the shelter 3 times. After I first met him, he gave me a giant, hopeful canine hug and was simply too candy and desperate to say no to. And he has definitely taught me lots about endurance, persistence, and dedication. To see him go from a really anxious, nervous, and under-confident canine to an solely considerably nervous, anxious, and semi-confident canine (lol!) is actually wonderful. I’m so happy with him, and proceed to work on constructing his confidence on daily basis. Boomer’s solely remorse in his new house is that the queen-of-the-universe nonetheless doesn’t like him, although he desires very a lot to be mates along with her…
After adopting Boomer, I knew it was time to do what I had at all times wished however hadn’t but performed: volunteer with rescue animals. A fast web search led me to Fortunate Canine, and I’ve been volunteering since September 2023, first as a foster screener, and now as a cat adoption coordinator as properly. After beginning with Fortunate Canine, I used to be fortunately shocked to learn the way many individuals in my life are Fortunate Canine adopters! The variety of animals Fortunate Canine is ready to discover houses for is actually astonishing, and I’m so glad to be part of that work.
Thanks to Fortunate Canine, my grandmother, and to Boomer, Esther, and Kage, who all put me the place I’m right this moment!
