April 22

Mission Statement

We strive to discover the relationship between animals and humans and grant them the ability to speak by standing up and speaking for them. 

This December I want to have many parts of my CAS project completed. Not only completed, but completed with a lasting impact on the animals and people I work with. I am very lucky to have a sister that actually works with me and wants to take on my CAS project when I leave for college so that way I can guarantee positive impacts in the lives of the animals I work with for at least five years in the future. The actual impact I have had on the animals I work with is insane. I can tell how they have gone from looking at me as an outsider, to truly a part of their pact. It truly feels amazing when a feral dog trusts you enough to let you bathe her puppies or when I can sit with a dog for hours just removing ticks without him ever moving or biting me because of how much he trusts me. One of the most rewarding things that I have ever done is taming and taking care of two feral cats. Their names are Tito and Nora and I have worked with them for the past few months to get them to trust me. I went from having to be inside before they would even get close to their food, to having them sit on my lap while I apply medicine to their wounds. Animals understand people a lot more than people understand animals. I might not know exactly what goes through their heads when I do the medical treatments or bathe them, but they trust me enough to know that I am helping them and that is the absolute best feeling in the world. 

Not only am I hoping to strengthen my bond with these animals, but I also have been strengthening my relationship with Barbra, the owner of the animal shelter. When I first met her she was rude and harsh and barely trusted me to walk a dog. Now she gives me newborn kittens and lets me feed and watch them all alone. I am allowed into her house now to sit with newborn animals and even her husband who speaks barely any english always takes time to ask me how I am doing and makes sure that I am taking my studies seriously instead of always spending time with the animals. The first time I realized Barbra really trusted me was when she illegally let me work at her spay and neuter clinic. The minimum age to work there was 18, but I was only 16. She went around the rules to let me help out. She even trusted me enough to take care of the animals that just came out of surgery. When ten newborn kittens showed up she charged me with taking care of them, even the sick one. She had me drain an absence off of a three day old kitten with me having absolutely no experience doing that, which probably was not the smartest thing, but I did it and the kitten lived. It was amazing to learn from her and I just want to continue to learn how to help, understand, and trust the animals and have them do the same to me. 

This week I am going to get back to helping out at Barbras. I haven’t been going for a few weeks since I was in America for Spring Break. I am excited to get back and help out more.