A rant about our local shelter

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slavetoabunny

slavetoabunny

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
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Location
Bunny Beach, Florida, USA
As a bit of background, around six months ago I come in to the shelter and find the feeders full of rainbow food. They had run out of plain pellets, and concerned for the rabbits, I bought them 50 lbs. of pellets. Granted, it was alfalfa pellets from the feed store (they don't have bulk timothy), but they were better than the rainbow crud. Then they started giving the buns this horrible straw-like hay. Yuck! So I bought them some good hay. Ever since then, the shelter calls when they are low on food and I buy it for them.

Now, my rant is not about buying food for the shelter rabbits. I'm happy to do it. Buying 50 lbs. of pellets and a bale of food grade timothy is only around $30. What I'm ticked about is the total lack of appreciation. Let me elaborate.

Yesterday I went to the shelter as I usually do on Saturday afternoons. I immediately noticed the rainbow food in the feeders. While I was there, one of the staff told me that Trey, the kennel supervisor needed to talk to me. No problem, send him back. Trey comes in a while later and says "You're the one that buys the rabbit food, aren't you. We ran out". I told him that I noticed the crud in the feeders and figured as much. I also told him that four of the rabbits were getting soft poops already from the bad food. The feed store closes at 2:00 on Saturdays, so I told him that I would go to Petco and get some food to replace the crud until I could get to the feed store and buy some bulk food. He promised to immediately change out the food. I bought 25 lbs. of Kaytee and brought it to the shelter.

My rant is............DO YOU THINK THEY EVER SAID THANK YOU. No, they did not. Can the volunteers that spend so much time, effort and MONEY be appreciated just a little bit?? I spend at least 6 hours a week at the shelter exercising and socializing the rabbits. Liz (Bunnylady2) and I take the rabbits to Petco every two weeks for a 4 hour adoption event. Not to mention that we have taken into rescue every single rabbit slated for euthansia since April of this year. I don't have a number, but it's a LOT.

Why is a simple thank you so hard? I love what I'm doing for the rabbits, but feel taken advantage of sometimes.

Thanks for listening.
 
I really hear you, very much so, for many reasons. I'm so sorry that they are so ungrateful and they take your for granted. I guess that it comes down to the bunnies showing you thanks and them appreciating it, even if the staff don't.

When I vented about something similar recently someone said about how you shouldn't be doing it for thanks, and to a certain extent I agree, but at the same time, when you put in so much effort, some positive acknowledgement for al you do is always good because it makes it more worthwhile.
 
Thank you Tracy. I put in the effort for the bunnies, not the shelter. I know that I make a difference in their lives. For example, yesterday Cupcake was adopted. A lady was in the shelter looking for a cat to adopt. The small critter room is off of the cat room and she wandered in and I started talking to her about rabbits. I got Cupcake, our sweeeetest rabbit, out of her cage and introduced them. I spent at least an hour with her while she snuggled Cupcake, and in the end she adoptedher (she's said she is even going to keep the name!). This lady has never owned a rabbit, but I could tell she's going to be a great rabbit mommy. I gave her my number and told her to call with any questions. Point being, if I hadn't have been there, I doubt that Cupcake would have been adopted.
 
:group:
I wish that your shelter appreciated you, since you obviously are a huge help to them. Any chance of getting some financial help on feed and hay? In any case, the bunnies that you help do thank you, as do the people whose lives they touch. At my shelter, they try very hard to make volunteers feel appreciated, and it's really too bad that yours doesn't see how important what you do is.
 
tonyshuman wrote:
:group:
Any chance of getting some financial help on feed and hay?
Click to expand...
I'm not concerned about that. It's not a financial burden. I'm feeling a little embarrassed about whining now.....I was having a "moment". I would never quit my rabbit rescue work, no matter how "thankless" it may be. Those little lives are too important.


 
That's really, really lovely about Cupcake. Really heartwarming actually. I just want to give someone a cuddle for that but I'm not sure if it's you, Cupcake or the lady, lol. You both did a fab job to get that bunny a great home.

From what I have seen at the RSPCA those at the top get very bogged down with all the mundane things that have to be done, and they lose their human touch and become almost robotic in that they do what has to be done, and no more. MAybe he is just so focused on getting things done he has forgotten the human touches?

Don't feel bad for venting, we all need to sometimes. I've been doing the same thing to someone else about something similar. Often it helps enable us to keep doing what we are doing and yet not get bitter about the people we have to interact with.
 
If it makes you feel better, you should know that underappreciation is one of the biggest factors in shelters not being able to retain volunteers.
In my papers I've written this term on Companion animal management, I've found sources that stress the importance of a good volunteer relationship over and over again.
Volunteers are essentially staff that receive no financial compensation, and are given no say in what happens in the shelter "workplace", yet they continue to give their time.
Volunteers need to get something emotional out of giving their time, as they are not compensated. They must feel fulfilled, and rewarded by what they are doing.
It's the same as a company that doesn't support its workers... hard to keep people interested if they are not being emotionally "rewarded" for their efforts (as there is no cash reward)

I think you are doing amazing things for the rescue you are with. Volunteers are what the vast majority of all non-profit animal welfare organizations rely on ass their foundation. Without volunteers, very little could be accomplished. I don't think it is silly to expect appreciation for efforts that anyone puts forth, in any scenario.
 
NorthernAutumn wrote:
If it makes you feel better, you should know that underappreciation is one of the biggest factors in shelters not being able to retain volunteers.
In my papers I've written this term on Companion animal management, I've found sources that stress the importance of a good volunteer relationship over and over again.
Volunteers are essentially staff that receive no financial compensation, and are given no say in what happens in the shelter "workplace", yet they continue to give their time.
Volunteers need to get something emotional out of giving their time, as they are not compensated. They must feel fulfilled, and rewarded by what they are doing.
It's the same as a company that doesn't support its workers... hard to keep people interested if they are not being emotionally "rewarded" for their efforts (as there is no cash reward)

I think you are doing amazing things for the rescue you are with. Volunteers are what the vast majority of all non-profit animal welfare organizations rely on ass their foundation. Without volunteers, very little could be accomplished. I don't think it is silly to expect appreciation for efforts that anyone puts forth, in any scenario.
Click to expand...
You've really struck a chord here. When I first volunteered and went through my orientation, I had such a warm and fuzzy feeling. That has cooled some after seeing the reality of shelter politics (and believe me, it IS political) and the way our shelter treats staff and volunteers that have an actual concern for the animals. Our shelter has lost most of the good staff they had.
 
If you're interested, I have found a few good resources for appropriate, strong shelter management strategies that support the concept of the volunteer "foundation" of the organization.
PM me your email, and I'll send you what I've got (if you're interested :) )
 
Miss P, all of us appreciate what you doing as do the bunnies. It's really ashamed the shelter employees are so lacking in basic people skills and just plain common sense. Not thanking volunteers is unthinkable where I volunteer. Everyone who comes to visit the cats, brush them, socalize them, brings anythin even one roll of paper towels is thanked more than once. We want people to come back, have a positive image to encourage more contributions of time and needed items.

It's simply a very bad business practice to treat volunteers so shabbily. Shame on them. And congratulations for getting another bunny adopted to a good home.
 
I hear ya! People are taken for granted so much sometimes. It's awful! you do so much and it's like you're supposed to!

BUT - Patti, every single binky, every snuggle with their human(s), and every bunny flop that bunnies like Cupcake do - it's a Thank You - you just don't get to see it anymore when they go to their forever home.

Personally, I think someone sees it and knows. I also know that I personally appreciate you for what you do.

People like this Trey person are just too ignorant to realize what a great person they have helping them!
 
Last year volunteers at the shelter logged over 28,000 hours. Just think of the cost if they had to pay people for those hours. They do hold a volunteer appreciation lunch once a year. I can't even attend that since I work 60 miles away in Orlando :(.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I'm feeling better today. Tomorrow I'm working a huge 5 hour multiple rescue adoption event at the local mall. The mall is tying the event into their pet pictures with Santa event. We should have a huge crowd of animal lovers there.
 
Wow I feel really bad for you. How unconsiderate. I know you know this but even though the buns can't say thank you they appreciate what you are doing for them. I am an animal lover and even more for buns and I thank you for helping those bunnies that need it. You are an amazing person and they should realize that. The more I think about it the more upset I get about it. That is just awful.

I don't know if this is a possiblity but a shelter I use to volunteer at would request on their website that people donate certain types of food. Also we had stores that would donate food they couldn't sell. Like there was a whole in the bag or it was some how damaged they would give it to the shelter. I don't know if that would be an option.

Again I appreciate what you are doing for those buns. An don't feel embarassed about whining. I would be too.
 
I started volunteering in 2005 with the rabbits. The rabbit were numbers without names; I was the first person to name them.

I was not appreciated , if anything , I was probably either an annoyance or appreciated because for about 1 1/2 yrsI cleaned the rabbit room 3 times per week.
I just did everything for them because NO One else cared. I brought greens, hay, food etc.
I also introduced the petco program which did 'take off" . Even after that I was just there loving the rabbits.

Then managment changed and with that everything changed . The new operations manager really respected the small animals and thus respected that I cared about them. I would have kept up my fight for the rabbits one way or the other but I guess that what I am saying is that one day your time will come and someone will recognize exactly what a golden heart you have....
we already know it and so do the rabbits:)



 
I was going to help out at the shelter near me, but the lady who is by the rabbits is a total beast. I do not get along with her whatsoever. She's one of those people who insult your intelligence, you know? I wish beasty-lady wasn't there all the time, or I'd be in that shelter... Stealin' bunnies :D
 
I'm sorry that you feel underappreciated...As someone who runs a wildlife hospital manned primarily by volunteers, I know what you mean. I do my best all the time to thank my volunteers; I'll e-mail them something if it is pertinant to something they are interest.We throw a holiday party for them every year too to thank them.

I think the biggest problem in the animal world - and this is not just in your shelter, but across the board: people who want to work with animals are usually not the best people people. If they/we were, we'd be working in big business! (Which I did for many years, and left because I "didn't want to work with people"). Problem is...unless the animals are bringing themselves in to vet hospitals, or to shelters..or feeding themselves... turns out in the end - we are working with people afterall.

Can I share a little bit from the staff perspective? I am not negating that they are wrong for not saying thank you to you, that is a given.. But, sometimes understanding what someone else goes through makes it a little easier to accept why they act the way they do. And, I can't speak for the people working at your shelter, this is just my perspective.

When I took over, our prior founder was a very stoic and serious person. It wasn't much of a "feel-good" place when I used to volunteer there, but I did it for the animals. When I had the chance to take over, I wanted to make it more approachable. And I have..but it has been at my expense. No matter how many people I try to please, you just can't please everybody. Volunteers say things to me all the time that I know they wouldn't say to their supervisors at work. I know they are volunteering their time (I used to do the same thing as they did..) and we appreciate it. But as staff, we are the ones that have to make the sad, upsetting and usually unpopular decisions. We have to euthanize at our hospital. Sure, it's easy when you have something with a horribly broken wing that you know can never be fixed. But, then there are the "gray area" ones.

If I had a dime for every time a volunteer said to myself or one of my staff "I worked with that animal every week for a month, and I was very attached" - or, (thishappenedlast week) "well I better say goodbye now to that bird because it'll probably be killed by next week." That is so hurtful to us. We don't want to euthanize. It takes a little bit more of our hearts every time we have to do it. But it is our job. I'm not the one that hit the animal with my car and left it there; or put up fishing line to keep herons from eating out of my pond, thus injuring the heron itself - or put down rat poison so no mice are in my yard, then found a dying hawk that ingested the rat that ate the poison.
I'm the one that has to take its life, in the name of easing its suffering.
And eventually, a little bit more of you gets harder.

I'm presently in the process of trying to figure out how to not let this happen. I don't want to be the person who doesn't care about the animals. How can you protect yourself while still having to deal with all of the sadness that is rescue work?And on top of that, you need to manage staff and volunteers... I think it takes it toll on people eventually and they just become hard. It's just overwhelming.

This must be an eyefull for poor pipwin here, who works for me. Sorry!Bluemoon already knows what goes on in my overworked head, so this won't be a shock to her;)

So for what it is worth, I do thank you for doing what you do. Volunteers are an important part of all rescue work. Sometimes the people just get in the way.




 
Thank you for sharing Eileen. I do understand your perspective. I volunteer with both our local shelter and for Gainesville Rabbit Rescue, and the two go hand in hand. Meaning that, our shelter no longer euthanizes rabbits. GRR pulls every rabbit that is slated for the back room. GRR is very proud that not one single rabbit has been PTS this year at my shelter and the Alachua County shelter, who we also serve.

GRR is very good to its volunteers. We get a lot of support and thanks from our program director. This year, I am hosting a holiday party for all of our volunteers and supporters. We are even inviting select shelter staff and the entire staff at our wonderful vets office.

No matter how thankless the job, I do it for the bunnies and would never consider quiting. I just need to vent once in a while and this is the perfect place to do it, with people who understand.
 
It wouldn't kill them to say Thank You :grumpy:. You're helping them get their bunny's adopted by making them healthy.. like who want's a sick bun if they can get a healthy one somewhere else. You're helping these bun's have a good future to look forward to and they couldn't give a poop. Just, maybe try and ignore that ? You're there for the bun's not them ..

BTW.. Good job helping them :):biggrin2:
 
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