# Volunteering at stray cats hospital



## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

I've been asked to volunteer at an org's stray cats hospital. Isn't it cool? I'm not good at helping with TNR and I can't foster because I already have 2 relatively new adoptions and I don't have a car to go to the neediest places to feed, so I relieve other volunteers to do those things by replacing them at the hospital, where I can feed, water, pet, clean litter boxes and cages, and with time I'll learn to do more. 

Some of the strays are there for life because they need medicine every day. They're not caged or fenced, they just hang around because of the food so they don't leave. The (hidden) place is a little piece of our "central park" which was kindly donated by the municipality for this purpose.

I'm all excited!

Oh and I forgot, I get free treatment at the hospital for any of my strays if they need it !!!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

That sounds perfect! I think you'll be wonderful at that and vet help is always a great thing. I'm excited for you.


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

Straysmommy said:


> I'm all excited!
> 
> Oh and I forgot, I get free treatment at the hospital for any of my strays if they need it !!!


LOL! You left the best for last. Maybe with some luck you'll get a bit of face time with people who can emphathize too, when you write you make it sound like you are doing so little, BUT based on what you've written in the past you do so much for the cats near you!

hope this works out well & a big hooray to the vet care.


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## konstargirl (Feb 4, 2011)

That sounds awesome! I'm sure you will be awesome for that.  What about if you end up working there instead of Volunteering if you love it a lot.


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## Rocky_Raccoon (Jun 7, 2011)

I think that's great that you're volunteering  Volunteering and helping others, including animals, feeds the soul


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

I think that will be great .

I'm trying to volunteer at the humane society up the street from me but the interview process is expensive and lengthy.


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

Thank you all for the encouragement!

SB, do you have to pay to volunteer? I know that in my country, if you want to volunteer in archeological digging to find the artifacts from Biblical times, you have to pay, but with cats I never heard that...


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## Rocky_Raccoon (Jun 7, 2011)

Straysmommy said:


> Thank you all for the encouragement!
> 
> SB, do you have to pay to volunteer? I know that in my country, if you want to volunteer in archeological digging to find the artifacts from Biblical times, you have to pay, but with cats I never heard that...


I never knew you had to pay to volunteer for anything, isn't volunteerism by nature, just that volunteering your time at no charge to either you the volunteer or the organization you're volunteering for? I'm perturbed


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

You have to pay for background checks when you apply. Then if those go through you have to give them a bunch of references. If those go through then you have to go through a lengthy interview process and then you can volunteer but you have to make a bi-weekly commitment for a year.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Yeah, that stinks. To volunteer for our local shelter you have to take a class that they provide but it doesn't cost anything.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Oh yea you have to go through orientation too!


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## Rocky_Raccoon (Jun 7, 2011)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> You have to pay for background checks when you apply. Then if those go through you have to give them a bunch of references. If those go through then you have to go through a lengthy interview process and then you can volunteer but you have to make a bi-weekly commitment for a year.


Wow, I never realized it was such a process. I thought you would just go down to the organization, fill out a quick application, and then volunteer. How much is the background check? So, basically, it costs you to volunteer your time? that's an oxymoron


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## Rocky_Raccoon (Jun 7, 2011)

At least though on a positive note, it's really good to know that the people who are dealing with the animals aren't criminals.


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

Rocky_Raccoon said:


> At least though on a positive note, it's really good to know that the people who are dealing with the animals aren't criminals.


 
Sad but positive too. As a rule the local humane societies operate independently but they do take their cues from the national & HSUS is all about doing anything to avoid bad publicity these days.


I started out trying to volunteer with the humane society with my son - the hassle to be approved was more that a little discouraging, I talked to the admin their and they pretty much said that they are trying to make it more difficult to start volunteering in order to only get committed people and not those who might come 1 or 2x then quit. Don't agree with the plan myself but that was their choice.

We were lucky enough to find enough local rescue to work with.


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## tarah44 (Jul 18, 2011)

Rocky_Raccoon said:


> I think that's great that you're volunteering  Volunteering and helping others, including animals, feeds the soul


I concur


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

Maybe I would've had an acceptance process too, but these people know me from the work I do with my strays, they've seen me in action a lot and have spent time with my colony, so they offered the "job" to me when I said I wanted to volunteer to give back some of the lots of kindness I got from them for my strays. The big risk, I believe, is that cat-haters might infiltrate the orgs, but these people know first-hand what a huge "cat-hater hater" I am, LOL


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

It is like $30 for the background checks. It is highly discouraging for people like myself who just wish to volunteer.


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## Rebbie (Jul 11, 2011)

At my local SPCA when I volunteered we had to attend a orientation meeting, and you can't just jump in- you have to gain a total of 12 hours and 2 months before you move from doing laundry to working with animals. So it was more paying with time then with anything else. 

I stuck with laundry because it fit my busy schedule at first, and volunteered for the whole summer. When the school year started I had to quit, and my internet was spotty so I don't think they got my email... and if you drop out of that system, you aren't really allowed back in as a volunteer. :lol: It's a machine! I am currently volunteering at a human helping place now, but am looking at other local animal groups.

But congrats Straysmommy! It sounds like it would be loads of fun.


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

Rebbie, that was a very nice thing you did for SPCA.


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

This is great news! I know you do so much for the strays and it's just fitting that you are able to get into this place. Now you can also have more medical help when your strays need it. Congrats!


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## Rebbie (Jul 11, 2011)

Straysmommy said:


> Rebbie, that was a very nice thing you did for SPCA.


Thank you! But really, it was a reward working there because afterward I got to cuddle all the animals. <3 Though sometimes all the hoops you have to jump through are a pain, like the others were talking about! :lol: And hey, between shoving all those soiled pet blankets and toys in the mega machines, I had quiet and could catch up on reading my books, so it was a fairly cushy job. :wink

But the fact that they know of your work with strays is awesome, and I can tell this is going to be a great fit for you.  Plus, being around like-minded people is always great. Makes you feel less crazy, I have discovered...


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