A Little Cat TLC: Direct Result of GISHWHES
Last week I participated in the 10th and last GISHWHES international scavenger hunt. I participated with my friend Lisa last year where we did crazy things like eating green eggs with ham in a boat with a goat, provided ice cream to first responders, and got milk to come out of Lisa’s nose. This year, Lisa led a global group of us participating from Perth, Australia to the UK to California and some other states around the US. I recruited my daughter to help out with a few of the tasks including a visit to the local animal shelter to spend time with the animals that need a forever home and help them get adopted.
Fortunately we didn’t come home with another animal (we already have 1 dog, 1.5 cats…long story…, a snake, and two chickens) but we did learn that when Rachel turns 13 this week, that she will be able to volunteer at the Peninsula Humane Society (PHS) in our county as a junior volunteer, assuming that she has a parent volunteering with her.
Tonight we went to the orientation and it looks like we will be doing cat TLC for six months.
There were over 50 people at the orientation which is the first step to becoming a volunteer with the all-privately funded organization (they do provide contract services to the county of San Mateo but they receive no government subsidies). We learned a few interesting facts about the PHS
— The PHS/SPCA is an open-door shelter, and accepts all animals regardless of their age, size, temperament and behavior
— They have a 100% adoption rate for healthy dogs and cats
— They work with, on average, between 15,000 and 20,000 animals per year
— They leverage a staff that includes over 1500 volunteers
— They have reduced the euthanasia rates by 94% in San Mateo County since they opened their first facility in 1952.
— They have a program called T.A.I.L.S. where they partner with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s department to have minimum security inmates work with dogs who require additional socializing and training in order to get adopted.
— They have a thrift shop in Burlingame called Pick of the Litter. They accept donations of clothing, household items, art, jewelry, electronics, books, vintage and costume clothing, to be sold in the thrift shop with all proceeds benefiting the animals of the PHS/SPCA.
— The national SPCA organization is not an umbrella organization and does not provide any funding to the PHS/SPCA (donate locally)
— They take care of wildlife including raccoons, squirrels, pelicans, other birds and animals at the Lantos Center in Burlingame (Rachel was bummed she’s not old enough to work with wildlife)
— They have other animals like goats (there is one available for adoption right now…David Jones), rabbits (lots of rabbits), chickens, and other farm animals at the Coyote Point location. I think I saw a picture of a duck on their site.
— The PHS/SPCA HOPE program provides medical assistance to 200–250 animals per month
Our next step, once our waivers are processed, is to schedule a phone interview and then the TLC training. Right now the volunteer options for juniors are a bit limited so we have chosen cats. Once we complete our 6 month commitment, we may consider dog TLC (they are short trainers right now and are unable to make this option available to new volunteers).
The good news is that they limit the adoption of only one animal per month per volunteer. The bad news is that if there is a bonded pair (like the two above), they count as one. It is going to take a significant amount of resistance and discipline to NOT take home more animals. But since we lost two chickens recently, we may be taking a trip to the Coyote Point location to see if there are any egg-laying hens there to add to our menagerie. Ginny, below, seems to have a few problems (absinthe, asthma, and authoring).
