# Things I have learned.....



## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

...from volunteering at the local animal shelter.

1) Most people are morons

2) Being a county ran shelter, its first come, first serve. Its HARD watching people take dogs who you KNOW don't need the dog.

3) Most people are morons

4) Lost of people really don't understand what it means to own a dog. You brought back the 8wk old puppy you adopted yesterday because it pooped in your floor. Seriously? Mor....on....

5) I've learned that your gut is the best line of defense. When you see someone walking up and your gut is going "no..no...nononono" and it just gets confirmed when the person opens your mouth, that tells you something. NO I don't think its funny or OK that you let your dogs play "tag" with coyotes.

6) People don't think things through.

7) I am doing this for the animals, not the people. Thankfully I can excuse myself since I am only a volunteer and let the actual workers deal with people if I'm to a point I'm about to be sick.

8) So many animals...so so many

9) It feels WONDERFUL hearing from previous adopters who are success stories. It gives me hope, it makes me happy and it makes me realize that not everyone is a moron. It's wonderful seeing the dogs happy, the people happy and how much joy they bring each other.

10) Most people are morons.....but thankfully, not all. 


I also help out (when I can) with two other rescues groups, but they are not shelters, and they can actually tell someone, NO, you don't get to adopt from us.

All in all, its been a roller coaster of emotions and it's taught me many things. Like when to keep my mouth shut, lol. Really though, the people are great, the animals are great, many potential adopters are great and I do have way more many good fuzzy feelings than not.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

GS! You are doing a good thing! but, #9 is the best lesson of all! Must make you happy when a dog and family work out. Tell me, what is the ratio of rehomed dogs versus returned dogs.. Is it that bad? I always thought that was something you DID not return, sort of like a half eaten pizza...


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Lol you make me laugh


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

just another reason all animals should be spayed or neutered. some people also.


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## Mister C (Jan 14, 2014)

GSDolch

Thank you for tolerating the morons to help the animals. As to #9, I made it a point to keep the shelter we adopted from informed. We attended their events to help raise money for the shelter. We even sent an email to the former foster mother/shelter worker when our dear old Maddie passed away.

If I can find the mental strength to volunteer at a shelter when I retire then I will do so. Frankly, I'm not sure how you do it.

All the best,

Michael


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## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

I'm not really sure of the return rate vs the adoption rate. Our shelter actually has one of the highest adoption rates around, over the Summer it was 76% adoption rate, with it going down the past few months to the high 50s because we had a TON of cats/kittens brought in.

I believe it was the director that sent out a letter on FB thanking everyone. We haven't had an animal put to sleep due to room since 2012! (not counting sick/aggression/court ordered)

Mentally it can go up and down. I think one reason I posted was because I felt like I was about to snap in some ways. It was like someone opened the flood gate with certain types of people in a short amount of time. In one week we had four dogs returned...one of them was returned TWICE and then one guy who was so smug and treated the dogs like they were some status thing. He kept wanting to "alpha roll" them all.

They aren't bad dogs either, these are dogs we take to our adoptions events. A puppy that pooped in the floor, a puppy that didn't like walking on its leash, a dog with some separation issues that neither person listened to us about and another dog that didn't like cats that, again, we told him about. Ugh.

But, we do get good people who come by, and I am learning to cherish those moments.

I'll have to ask about the rate of dogs getting returned. There are other shelters close by that people can take them to.


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