11/12/2022
My Final Thoughts
My Years with Animal Aide 2003-2022
Sometimes, it feels like just yesterday that I started with Animal Aide and other times, it feels like I don’t remember my life before Animal Aide. March 2023 would have marked my 20th Anniversary volunteering for Animal Aide. I have done everything from dishes, laundry and cleaning cages in the center, to bringing in needy cats, to vet runs and PetSmart runs to admin work to being on the Board. I have spent countless hours fostering – first, there were the scared, abused, neglected and feral adults to the more recent kittens. I can’t tell you who my favourites were because they have all left an imprint on my heart. The many resident cats that I had the pleasure of getting to know during my Saturdays from 2003-2010 when I worked in the center will always be a part of me.
There are so many ways to look at animal rescue. There are the bad things and there are so very many that it scares a lot of people from doing it. I don’t want to dwell on those bad things but I will repeat what I have always said about it – I have heard things I can’t unhear; I have seen things I can’t ever unsee and my heart has been broken a thousand times over the ones we couldn’t save. On the bright side, I have made countless friendships with people who have adopted cats from Animal Aide; I have made friends with the people who also volunteer for Animal Aide; I have met other rescuers who have also been beaten up by the horrible parts of volunteering but just can’t stop. I have a lot of respect for each and every one of them. There were a lot of years, I felt the same – that I would just never stop, but the time has come for me to pass the baton (so to speak) to the younger set.
I will miss my volunteering more than I can say, but I just don’t have the energy or time anymore. I have wanted to write my whole life and while this page has given me a chance to continue to write over all these years, I want to write about so much more. I want to take my dream vacation (I’ve never been anywhere) and that means working overtime at my full time job, which I can’t do without giving up something. I’m 60 now, an age where most women in my family on both sides for the last three generations didn’t get to so who knows how much longer I have to accomplish these other things.
I like to think that my nearly 20 years with Animal Aide has made a good difference in the lives of the cats and kittens I got to know. I like to think that all those years meant something I can be proud of and I like to think that I can move over and give others that same chance.
Animal Aide will go on as they did before I started. No one is indispensable and with newer, younger people maybe they will bring in updated thinking and better ideas that will keep Animal Aide going for many years to come. Animal Aide will celebrate it’s 30th year in 2023. That’s a long time for any one rescue to be in the business. Animal Aide has done a lot of good over the years and will continue to do so. I hope that all of you will continue to support them any way you can.
Lastly, I would like to thank everyone I have met over the years that has helped Animal Aide and animals in need however you have helped. Whether that help came in the form of fostering or adopting or rescuing a cat or kitten you found on your own. Whether it was by donating money or things that help the shelter to go on when funds and supplies were in short supply. Whether it was by buying tickets or calendars (which we used to sell). Animal Aide can’t do what they do without each and everyone one of you. Take care everyone and lastly, I want to thank each of you who have read and enjoyed my stories. It’s been quite a ride.
