September 22, 2018
A few of the volunteers had a team meeting today. Early Saturday morning, 9am, early for a Saturday anyway. We filed into the building, coffee in one hand and pen and paper in the other. It’s not typical we have the opportunity to get together like this, all in one room. Facebook messenger is the way we communicate every day, all hours. It’s hard sometimes for everyone to be available. We all have lives, some have kids, many have fosters, nearly all work full time, but we still make time, find time, because that’s what rescue is. Sitting at the table with people you’ve bonded with online, but never actually met in person. You sit and think “I think I know who that is, she looks familiar” not quite sure because do any of us really look like our profile picture? As soon as we sit down we introduce ourselves and what we do for the rescue. “Ah yes! I DO in fact know her” is the thought that pops in your head. How strange a moment if you think about it, someone you’ve worked with for months, bonded with, become friends with and just now you meet. But that’s what this is because although we are all here together, making jokes, becoming friends, we are only here for one real reason. RESCUE. We get down to business talking about the struggle. We need help, our one avenue of advertising isn’t working like it used to, were drowning. The dogs on death row never stop coming, the medical cases never stop coming and the resources and money keep drying up. So how do we fix it? What can we do? We won’t stop... ever because the need will never stop.
The type of people you have in rescue are not quitters, there may be a bad day, week or even month. They may go home and cry, have that extra glass of wine or just one more cigarette, but they don’t quit.
So why would you do it? Why would put so much time and energy and yourself into something if it’s heartbreaking, exhausting and sometimes seems hopeless? Simple answer. Because RESCUE. Because they were brought into this world at no fault of their own and don’t deserve to die. Because they were abused or starved and don’t deserve to die. Because they were used as a baby factory for profit and don’t deserve to die. Because they were used for bait or neglected and don’t deserve to die. They all deserve a chance and if we don’t give them that chance, who will?
Anonymous Beauties and Beasts Volunteer