If you love animals and you volunteered at a shelter, how did that work out?

[Anonymous]

What I mean is that I am thinking about volunteering at an animal shelter near my home. The "problem" is that I love animals, and I fear that I will come home with a new pet every day. Or that I will feel so bad that the animals do not have proper homes, and I will turn in to a depressed sorry sack.

I am normally not a softie, except with animals and with any suffering (animals or people). I also am a pretty upbeat person, but if I see an injustice (regarding animals, people, etc) I have trouble letting it go. I am very careful about how I get my news, as seeing all of the bad stuff and how it affects living things really upsets me.

Has anybody who similar to me volunteered at a rescue facility and if so, how did it go for you?

[Anonymous]

I know my limit! Volunteering is a way to get my "snuggle all the animals!!!" fix without bringing them all home. I did end up with 1 more dog than I had planned when the perfect for me dog showed up and I already had 2...but that's the worst of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know my limit! Volunteering is a way to get my "snuggle all the animals!!!" fix without bringing them all home. I did end up with 1 more dog than I had planned when the perfect for me dog showed up and I already had 2...but that's the worst of it.

Good point. And I really can see this for me as well. Did you leave with a clear mind everyday (not worrying about the animals)?

[Anonymous]

I volunteered for the Humane Society Thrift Shop.

[Anonymous]

My daughter and I volunteer at WARL. Yes, she wants to take almost every animal home but I told her our job was to get the animals adopted to other homes. I told her that it would be unfair if we had all the joy that animals can bring and it was our job to socialize the dogs and cats so they can find the perfect home. We have been volunteering since last October so far that logic has won out.