Shelter Startup
Adventures in Animal WelfareArchive for April, 2010
Week One Ends
My first week has just ended, and there is still so much that needs to be done! I’ve had a crazy week of dog escapes, staff leaving, watching how things are done, and trying to find a better way. My list seems to only get longer as the days go by!
Right now my big focus is getting that darn barn clean! I can NOT handle the grossness that is brewing in that place. I feel like I have scrubbed that barn all week and only scratched the surface. Since I do not have much patience, it’s been hard to try and just do one thing at a time and not try to do everything all at once. Like the managing partner at NET used to say, “there’s only one way to eat an elephant, a bite at a time.” That saying is so true here.
I think I am going to start with a list of daily tasks I want to get done, and the times and time frames I want them done. That will be a good starting point. Once that is going ok, I will move on from there. I hate to be so specific, but since there has been either no direction, or directions coming from many different people, the barn staff dont know what or how to prioritize tasks. Hopefully I can get that fixed soon.
The manual part of this job is getting easier, and My body is starting to get over the manual labor shock, and today I didn’t feel like I wanted to die right after work. So that’s good. Heck, I needed the exercise anyway! My hands are dry, my cuticles are a mess, and my feet have blisters, but I think this experience will be good for me.
I’m off tomorrow. Think I’m gonna get a manicure!
Day Two or the “I can’t hardly move edition”
I’ve just completed day two and I can’t hardly move! Wrestling with animals all day is physical, hard work, I’d completely forgotten, and now i am so sore! I know it will get better, but man, the breaking in period is rough! Today had both good and bad in it.
The good:
1. I was able to move dogs around today and stop the fence fighting going on in the number four kennel. This means dogs will be much more appealing to adopters, plus they will stop wearing themselves out both mentally and physically, and all the dogs around them can have some peace!
2. I sent home the most precious Brittany to a wonderful family. They had lost their Rottie in December at the age of 14, and just a few weeks ago the man had accidentally hit his other dog with the car. He was telling me how bad he felt, and the guilt he had. I told him I completely understood, that the same thing had happened to my dad, and even now, years later, I knew he still felt bad about it. It was so wonderful to send this sweet little dog home with this big burly man who was so smitten with her. That, my friends is why I do this.
3. I’m starting to get a feel about what things need to change, and I am having ideas about what needs to happen to get that done. Though, it does appear that even just having a person in the barn to give the staff some direction, even though it has just been two days, is helpful.
The Bad:
1. One of the staff walked out yesterday. Apparently, this person had some personal issues, and also thought they should have gotten my job. So no one was hugely surprised, however now I am a person short and have to hire another person to take their place.
2. After the walkout, another person called in sick today, fun times. 
3. It’s hot, and I’m out of shape. Nuff’ said.
4. There is just SO much to do. I need to make a list to keep from getting overwhelmed!
5. There is this naughty little min pin I am smitten with, but I will not falter! No more dogs!
Day 1
After completing my first day I know a few things for sure:
1. I am out of shape
2. There is a list of things a mile long that needs to be accomplished just to improve dog care alone, before I even start to think of new animal intake. It seems like every time something has come up in the last two months they just said ” the new kennel manager will take care of that. The expectations are ridiculously high and I hope I can meet them. I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, that’s for sure.
3. It’s gonna be hot soon, and I need some appropriate clothing.
4. The facility needs work, the new barn will be a godsend, I hope they get it up quickly!
Everything else seems feels like there is a lot of possibility if I’m creative and think out of the box, but the whole situation is kind of overwhelming!
Wish me luck!
