Tomorrow will be my last day at Georgetown Animal Control, and I just know I'm going to cry. For those of you who don't know, I have spent the last five years of my life working in animal welfare. Translation, non-profit animal shelters. I love animal welfare; I love spending all day, everyday, with animals. The part I hate, dealing with people I don't feel deserve the animals I have spent my time caring for, playing with, and nursing back to health. Lately, I have disliked more adopters than I have really liked. Which says to me, maybe it is time to take a break.
Now, my husband will be the first to say when it comes to my dogs, I'm crazy. Nothing is too good for them. They eat the best food, get the best vet care, both alternative and conventional, and have more toys than most human children. I plan the majority of our life around them, which thank god, he is supportive of. So, the way I treat my dogs is not necessarily the way I think all people should treat their dogs (though it would be nice). For better or for worse, I know I am a little (or a lot depending on your view) over the edge.
I have worked at three different shelters over the past five years, and worked with countless others.
Capital Area Humane Society (CAHS) was the first shelter I ever worked at. I loved the people, loved the atmosphere, and after working in animal welfare for this long, feel they have it the most right of all the shelters I have worked for since. CAHS gave me my foundation, and I have not found any other shelter that so closely matches my ideal. I cried when I left there, and miss CAHS terribly.
Austin Humane Society (AHS) was a learning experience. I learned a lot about how I felt a shelter SHOULD NOT be run. However, I honed my dog behavior skills, learned to work with volunteers, learned adoption outreach, how to work with rescue, and how to keep staff happy in the worst of conditions. When I left, a huge weight came off of my chest and I am not sorry I moved on.
Georgetown Animal Control was another huge learning opportunity for me. I learned to work in the confines of a city run shelter, came face to face with animal cruelty, and honed my vet tech skills. I was able to change the lives of Georgetowns' shelter dogs by offering them toys, exercise, and training some good volunteers. I am leaving there with a heavy heart. I thought I would be glad to leave, "time to move on" I said. Now, on the eve of my departure I am feeling extremely sad. Number one, I love the Animal Control Officers, John, JT, and Jam. They make work fun, even when they are driving me crazy. John is full of advice, Jam is goofy as hell, and JT is quiet and serious. Kim, though we had a rough start, had started to work really well together. I will miss everyone.
Tomorrow, I know I will cry, and I know I'm going to be sad, for me, it is the ending of an era. How will I do in the private sector? Will I enjoy technology as well as animal welfare? Will I regret my decision to try something new? I guess we'll see in the coming days, for now, I'm going to try and get some sleep, and try not to worry about the unknown.
