PAWS Chicago hosted another Angels with Tails event today and I got to volunteer as an Adoption Counselor. I just graduated to this position so today was a virgin voyage for me. Very nervous at first, but the day turned out brilliantly.
In my unemployment and relative poverty, my little world has gotten more little lately. This has resulted in a very narrow track of Facebook posts and Twitter updates. Some random videos and NYTimes articles shared on from friends. But mostly- almost entirely- info on animal welfare, rights and rescues.
I've been getting some flack from activist friends for this. Accusing me of caring more for dogs & cats than for their human counterparts. True, there are many MANY humans struggling in the USA right now. More than usual. Different than the usual - white, financially secure. Cuz we all know there are millions of starving, suffering poor in our country ALL THE TIME, but Americans seem to prefer to sweep them into dark corners of the south or build unlivable housing for them in the outskirts of our cities. But NOW- NOW there are white people struggling darnnit!
Anyway- back to the doggies and kitties. Well sort of...
I can safely claim to know quite a bit about suffering from the recession. I had my heat turned off, I starved, I cried at night huddled with my dog and 2 kittens all exchanging body heat to try to stay warm. I debated returning my precious furry family members to their rescue groups realizing I was being selfish and cruel to keep them with me at this time. I shuddered at the thought of re-homing them knowing they were the only positive part of my life anymore. What was the point of being alive if I was forced to give them back to their rescue groups? I finally had to move in with family in Chicago, but lucky my family embraced my little friends too. So here I am jobless, penniless, and technically homeless at an age where this status feels particularly shameful. But I still have my friends: Kennedy, Bouvier & Monroe. And there are other good things that came from this catastrophe.
One is I get to do all the groovy volunteer work I wanted to do while working. I always wanted to THIS with my life. Trouble is THIS doesn't pay anything so I, like the rest of us lacking trust funds, had to work for a living. Volunteering is definitely work- typically more so than paying work - but it makes one feel so alive is doesn't feel like work while you're doing it! Sitting in an office helping millionaires make more millions to buy things they don't need...is...well just not happy. Volunteering may sound selfless, but anyone who volunteers regularly will tell you they GET so much more than they give.
So back to the flack about helping dogs & cats more than humans. As I sat on my little folding chair chatting with humans about why they wanted to commit their lives to particular dogs, I saw something. I met an older woman from the Phillipines who's 2 daughters are now fully grown and living away from home. She's smitten with a little poodle mix. I warn her this poodle has a life-long condition which requires pills twice a day and he has a nasty habit of biting anyone who fusses with his mouth. She's not fazed - doesn't hesitate to smile and tell me she can't wait to bring him home, give him a nice loving bath, and cuddle up with him in bed tonight. One of her daughters is sitting here and looking on with a never-ending smile. She points out her mother has been nurse for 30 years and is quite adept with making sure surly patients get the care they need. I see an older woman who's probably a little lonely looking forward to shopping for her new family member, giving baths & cuddles, and enjoying the friendship.
Next is a seemingly uptight wealthy couple who just lost their lifelong canine friend to cancer last fall. I read her notes in our survey, but don't mention the loss. The woman mentions it...before she can say the words, her eyes fill up with tears and her husband, concerned and overwhelmed with love, reaches out to her. I'm not sure she wants to get emotional on a sidewalk down the street from Oprah's studios, so I look down at my notes and mention solemnly "I'm so sorry...I've been there...I know it's hard" then look up hoping she sees my compassion and say with a smile "so let's talk about Janet!" We discuss the challenges of puppies and breed-traits of Rottweillers and Shepherds. I repeat throughout our discussion a reminder that this 30lb puppy may soon be close to 80 pounds. The woman digs through her purse a bit frantically to show me a well-worn, much-cherished photos of her recently-passed friend. Again fighting the tears but smiling and reassuring me they are experienced with dogs larger than my warnings. I see a couple broken-hearted over losing a family member. I see a couple filled with hope and love to give in exchange for some new, happy memories.
Throughout our meeting, I'm intimidated by the husband. Feeling a bit judged perhaps. My own lack of confidence reading into his sighs, stares, and many questions I could not answer. 3 days later I check in on them. A standard protocol for PAWS. I'm on the phone with the husband, which unsettles me a bit. I mention to him in my effort to be compassionate to his grieving wife, I fear I came across as cold and uncaring. His voice warms as he explains it was HE who was a "wreck" during that adoption, but that I did a remarkable job reacting to his wife's tears and helping him feel better about the new addition. I realized what I read as judgement from a "snobby Gold-Coaster" was actually intense grief from a incredibly kind man with a beautiful soul.
I walked into that discussion intimidated but walked away feeling lucky to meet so much love.
When anyone adopts a dog or cat from PAWS, their photo is taken with their new family member. PAWS eventually posts these happy shots on their site to show off weekly adoptions. I began using this last winter when I had the flu and was curious if my favorite residents had gotten homes yet. But now I look at these photos to see the HUMANS. The smiles not only on their lips but in their eyes, their bodies, their hearts. Animal lovers will always preach about the unconditional love and light non-human animals give out to the world, especially to their human partners.
There's more to say on this, but...there's just too much and I've babbled on too long here. But I'll say to my critical friends, "if you don't think volunteering for an animal shelter helps all the struggling humans in this world, you've never witnessed the power and love animals bring to the humans most in need"
So I continue to volunteer as an adoption counselor for PAWS. And I continue to meet new people and hear their stories and watch their lives brighten up as they skip out of that building on Clybourn holding their new furry family member.
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