i have a question about animal shelters.?

Question

i signed up to volunteer at an animal shelter near my house.
problem? I clamp up and tear up (acctually I cry histerically) every time I go to a shelter and see animals in cages, and unwanted, and sick, and abused, and emanciated.
now i'm having second thoughts (i don't know if i could take it).

last time when i went to the shelter to get a dog, I couldn't walk through the cages. i left right away. someone had to hand me a tissue cause i started cyring really bad.

i want to help animals and give them my time, but how am i going to cope? any tips??

thanks

Answer 1

I am glad that you have such a tender heart and it can be overpowering emotionally to see the number of animals and how horribly some humans treat them and although it is painful for you now until eventually you will adjust just onsider the difference you can make to those poor animals who probably have not seen if any,kindness and care-----consider by you just touching with Love any of those animals YOU give Joy. and when you give food-You Are Feeding the Hungry-as Jesus Christ wants us to.and when you go to the shelter just to walk a dog concentrate on sharing your love to give happiness and probably the first romp in the fresh air with a human without being chased away and having things thrown at it and it running in fear. Feelings are good to have but they do nothing for the animal-action does. so you need to forget about yourself and concentrate on the Animal-what they need. If everyone just felt deeply but didn't do anything then the suffering would not stop. You have a chance to help,to stop suffering, to touch with love,to give food , to care- So Make a Difference and DO. You Need to Overcome your Emotions and You Can---What if there was a animal starved and you were the only one there with food to give it-would you cry at seeing the poor dogs ribs and cry and cry and all the time you are crying the dog is still starving,still suffering or would you steel your innards-pull yourself together,wipe your eyes and Feed The Dog. Its Your Choice Really-do you want to be a Bleeding Heart, Crying proclaiming loudly how you love,love love animals or do You want to make a difference and give Food,give Love for th truth is tears do nothing to make any animals life better. Pray too-that God gave you this big heart so pray that He help you to be strong.

Answer 2

As the owner of a small shelter in Texas, I completely understand how your feeling. I started out volunteering for the Humane Society and I couldn't take it either. So I moved from there to a smaller NO kill shelter. It was much easier because I knew that these animals were not going to be euthanized no matter what.
This shelter was also a much kinder environment for the animals. It had two large cat rooms, none of the cats were kept in cages unless they were sick or nursing. The dogs that got along were allowed to roam inside freely, there were also outside kennels, large cages etc for the ones that had to be caged for what ever reason.
After that I decided to start my own shelter. While some of my dogs are kept in cages, the majority of them are in large pens outside or free to roam around inside. You may want to look into a smaller, no kill shelter as they are in need of volunteers as well. If you just can't handle the shelter at all, there are many things you can do. Volunteer for fund raisers, become a foster home, help by passing out literature to educate the public, work on their website, etc.
Call around to the different shelters in your area and talk to the director to see what they need help with other than direct contact with the animals.
Working with these animals can be extremely depressing and heartbreaking! They come in starved, scared, abused, injured, etc. But the happy tails far out way the bad as far as I'm concerned.
Many thanks and blessings to you for wanting to help these poor babies that so many people see as expendable! I have a lot of respect for you.

Answer 3

This is tough one! I know how you feel. I too wanted to help out with animals, but don't know how to handle the sadness of an animal shelter... however, I was talking to the people at PetSmart and they accept volunteers to come and help with the kitties and other animals they have up for adoption. This is a "no-kill" shelter of sorts where the cats will eventually be adopted and not put to sleep. They are healthy and wonderful cats and your job as a volunteer would be to play with them!! How fun is that? Alas, I discovered the horrible truth that I am allergic to cats, so I cannot help out, but maybe you can take my spot!!!

Answer 4

You don't necesarrily have to help at the facility. Ask if you could help out at adoption sites. Here, our rescue organizations have adoption sites at pet smart. See if you could maybe foster a kitten/puppy for a few weeks until it has a home of it's own. The only thing with that is you run the risk of falling in love with the animal and wanting to keep it yourself, then the next thing you know you have lots of animals. Ask if maybe you could take them to the vet when they have to go. Bc somebody has to take them from the shelters to the vet for their checkups. Good Luck, and thanks for helping all those animals that need so much love and attention.

Answer 5

You're a "great" person for trying, but some people, me included, just can't handle seeing stuff like that, it hurts too much.

Try a few more times and if it doesn't work for you, then volunteer elsewhere... You can't help the animals if you can't get past that stage..and it isn't too good for you either, being so upset.

Kudo's for trying..

Answer 6

Ask if that shelter has a fundraising project, such as, Ours has a thrift shop..Also, they always need people able to teach at elementary schools..they also need volunteers to promote the cause at all festivals and street faires, etc..Front desk work? Newsletter?
Just ell them how you are, and see where they can use you..and be open to do anything...perhaps even transport..or trips to the vet..
I can't be around all of the shelter animals, as I am afraid to bring disease to my pups...but I do find ways to help..

Answer 7

you have to realise that this is a 'sanctuary' it looks horrible to see them all in cages but remember they have been rescued from unwanted homes and terrible conditions and given shelter and food until they can be given an even better home. You will be helping to rehabilitate them to a nicer life - its just a transient phase and it can only be positive. And your help there will make their time there even nicer by giving them even more care and attention :)

Answer 8

Try to think about how much you're helping these poor, neglected animals by just being there. Just talking to them or playing with them can really help to change their lives. Try to focus on their futures and not their pasts. The animals really benefit from the volunteers and people that visit them. Try to think about all of that as much as you can. It should help.

Answer 9

Sign up to be a foster home for kittens or a mom and kittens. Then you can help without going into the shelter. Or join the fundraising committee and help raise money for the animals.

Answer 10

Just try to take comfort in the fact that you care for them and are there to help them. You can make a difference if you can get past this sadness and get in there and help.