Hello there, Have a Heart friends! Zachary here, reporting from the shelter. Yes, I’m a cat so I had some help to type this. But that’s exactly what we want to talk about today…the need for volunteers! Along with the other Pet of the Week, Brooke, we’d like to chat with you a bit. Did you know that, here at Have a Heart Pet Shelter, everything is done by volunteers. Yes, that’s right. They tell me this is an all-volunteer operation. And Brooke and I can tell you, based on our first-hand experience, they do a purrfect job. They take such good care of us here in the Cattery. And my canine buddies tell me it’s the same on their side of the house.
But Brooke and I were talking yesterday about everything these special animal-loving volunteers do and we’re pretty sure they could use some help. So I decided to hijack this week’s column to see if we can’t drum up some additional volunteers.
Especially since this thing they tell me was called a “pandemic,” volunteers have really been working short-handed and it’s so important that we recruit some new people. Our house stays pretty full with dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens, all looking for our forever homes but all who need cared for until that day comes that we get our very own human(s). And we’re some of the luckier ones. We got to come to Have a Heart where we’re sure to have warm shelter and full tummies. But the number of regular volunteers who work here play a big part in determining how many of us furbabies can be taken in and cared for.
Since Brooke and I have been here, we’ve been watching with keen eyes to see what all these humans called “volunteers” do, and it’s a pretty daunting list. Here are just some of the chores we know of and, since we’re cats, we probably don’t even know a lot of things being done behind the scenes to keep the shelter going: walk the dogs (mornings and evenings), answer phones and take messages, keep the Thrift Store clean and tidy, assist customers, feed/water the animals, clean kennels and Cattery, etc.
I heard one of the humans tell another one “There is always something that needs to be cleaned, repaired, sorted, cuddled, or walked. The To Do list changes often, depending on what’s going on that day.”
So Brooke and I ask ourselves why they do all this work to care for us and so many others like us? And it’s like the lady read our minds, because then she added “I can tell you we find great satisfaction seeing how much good we do for these animals. It isn’t always easy and we put in a lot of volunteer hours but when we see them being adopted or we help locate the owner of a lost animal that has somehow ended up in the shelter, we know that our effort has made a difference in the lives of those animals and their people.”
So, Brooke and I want to say a big thank you to all the current volunteers at Have a Heart! We, literally, don’t know where we’d be without them. We also hope you’ll consider becoming a HAH volunteer. Just stop by and complete a volunteer application, talk to one of the humans here, or give them a call at 870-449-7387. Tell’em Zachary and Brooke sent you. (Maybe we’ll get a treat if we recruit a new volunteer!) We can’t give you any money (remember, we’re cats) but we guarantee you will be greatly rewarded with all the purrs, wagging tails, and slobbery kisses you can handle. Won’t you be our new friend?
Love,
Zachary and Brooke
(Two of the many grateful, cool cats awaiting their forever home)
Zachary
Estimated to be around two years old, Zachary is a handsome young man who is very gentle-natured and not too “vocal.” He enjoys being petted and loves human company. He’s also quite fond of his little rattle mouse toy, which he quietly plays with while he is resting in his kennel. He gets along pretty well with all the other cats and kittens in the Cattery (and, right now, it’s pretty crowded in there).
Brooke
Look at the gorgeous markings on beautiful Brooke! This beautiful dilute tortoiseshell tabby (torbie) came to the shelter with five little ones in tow. She is young and likely a first-time mama because she didn’t get spayed in time. Because of that she is petite and a bit thin because her kittens still try to nurse. Two have gone into foster care, so she still has three adorable kittens left (named Pebbles, Eddy, and Sandy, in keeping with the water theme).
If you’d like to meet Zachary, Brooke, or any of the other many animals at the shelter, or if you can find it in your heart to volunteer, please stop in and see us. We’re located at 657 Hwy 202 W in Yellville. Or you can call us at 870-449-7387.