Sad but worse now @ Pet Rescue

Nov 11, 2009 Wednesday 8:58 AM

I volunteered on two different occasions, once for 3 years and once for 4 years. They did let me adopt two Lhasa Apso, since that dog breed was considered mean, yet they liked me, but I got one @ 4 and he passed away @ 14 with Cancer in Dr Baker's vet office and the other who ended up being diabetic @ about 17 years old. Him I had for about 13 years. While @ Pet Rescue, the place was dirty and messy.
The first time I volunteered on Saturdays working with the public and showing the animals to them and often the people were turned down. On my way to Pet Rescue Dale had me pick up one of the Kennel cleaners from Dale's home who would be cleaning her home each Saturday. She justified it, because she claimed she rescued a bunch of animals. I understand she hide animals because she would take over the limit & then never took them to be adopted and they became her pets, but when I arrived to pick the polish lady up a number of them would be by the door wanting to be patted and the lady would sometimes bring a few out some I would pat them while she quickly finished cleaning something @ Dale's house. I never seen the inside because she said she did not want to get in trouble with Dale, so I never pressed her to let me in, since she was a nice polish lady who I could speak with since I spoke polish. She did say there were a number of cages the animals were in, so how can they be considered pets (dogs & cats). She also said Dale was not a clean person and had her personal stuff as dishes to wash, bed sheets,etc. We would then go to pet rescue where the cleaning lady continued cleaning there and I showed the animals to people on Saturdays, though many times the adoption was declined. The lady went home with the polish men working @ Pet Rescue. My understanding the lady & men went back to Poland. Anyway it was not a win situation, so I left and one of the volunteer managers asked me to come back since she claimed I was good with the public. I refused, but did come back on Wednesday night to work with the animals.
The two older ladies, there longer, preferred dogs and this other gal who came a couple weeks after me liked cats, while I liked both, so The gal and I did the cats.
They almost never had any canned food for the cats and the two of us would bring a supply with us and the animals always were excited to see us. We would clean the liter pans too. I remember a few times I would try to clean the dusty room & shelves and the next week it would be very messy.
I also remember Penny wanted me to help her with something and telling me the cats did not need food everyday or fresh water.
I also understand that the water broke after I left and people had to bring from home. Hopefully this was daily?
The time I went to the dirty basement where in my time it was dirty, damp, and dogs kept there, plus supplies once in a while I seen a mouse too. A couple times they got a huge pet food donation in cans and instead of making arrangements for the food they would let it rot in the yard.
I then left having a class on Wednesday on good terms, and the gal I worked with left after she seen a dead cat with bugs eating away at the flesh. Neither of us went back since we felt helpless, to really help this situation.
Bo
Volunteer in the late 80's