Why I do it

This is a guest post by Ashlee . . . one of our dedicated volunteers.

The people around me all think I'm crazy for spending so much of my time working with the humane society. As you all know, it isn't a Saturday and Sunday job, it gets to a point where it consumes every waking minute, I go to bed thinking about it, I wake up thinking about it. I've loved all animals my entire life, I could almost say I've learned more from animals than I have humans, I've definitely learned more about life in general by working with animals. I grew up out in the country where people frequently dumped their animals like garbage. They showed up to my house and, against my parents suggestions, I always fed them and took care of them. Most had been abused and all had been neglected. These animals didn't have any reason to trust me or love me but they did. That was probably the first thing I learned from an animal and the resilience still amazes me and brings me to tears.

I still don't understand how or why they would ever want to look at another human after being treated they way they had been treated. I realized that forgiveness was a real thing. I got my first dog of my very own (not a family pet) when I was in the third grade at which point I learned responsibility and unconditional love. I knew my family loved me no matter what, but having that little head come rest on my lap right after I had yelled at him for chewing my barbie's legs off showed me what the meaning of unconditional was. I learned patience when that same dog chewed up my favorite shoes that I had saved my own money up for three months to buy in middle school. The day after I graduated, when I had to rush that same little guy to the vet after he had been attacked by dogs, I learned what it felt like to truly have my heart broken when I received the call that he didn't make it.

I don't do it for people. I don't do it to feel important. I don't do it for power. I don't do it because I like being at Petsmart every weekend. I do it because I want to help, because no one else will, because at the end of the day when the world has beaten me down, my Tigger hops up beside me on my bed and tells me that it will be okay, and mainly I do it because I truly believe that animals deserve a return on the love that they give.

I think about this often because some days it just feels hopeless and like I'm not helping at all and I have to remind myself why. I'm not doubting anyones reasons for being involved..... okay, yes I am, but I just think that some days we lose sight of things and we need to stop and remember why we do it.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy the world around you while you can, we aren't promised tomorrow, we barely have today, and yesterday is gone and should be left in the past.