I don't know how you do it!!

I hear that a lot. I always give them the same answer. I don't, lots of things get left undone, that is why I am always asking for help or volunteers.

For example, little Samson (baby ranch mink I am raising) **No they do not make good pets, don't let him or Trouble fool you. Yes, I have my wildlife permit, no they are not wild life, they are ranch mink. I know, but trust me, it take lots and lots of time effort and handling, and patience, much more than our ferrets.

They are used to do education. Most people have never seen a mink, and when they do, they put a face, an animal together with those clothing items made from the pelt. Ok, I am not going there, I digress and need to stay on topic.

Anyway, I needed to do a fecal float on his poop, looked a bit odd, but on my way to get the slides and items I needed to do the float, I realized that the one Old Timer needed his predsione. So I stop what I am doing, and go give meds.

Two days later, I finally got it done. I didn't like what I saw. Which means, that potentially I could have exposed the whole shelter population. So now, just to be safe, all the shelter kids are on meds. ALL 81 of them.

If the phone doesn't ring, and I don't have problems with medicating, it takes 5 hours to medicate them all. Now, that isn't doing water bowls, litter boxes or any of that, that is just to give medications. (Good at giving meds and want to help? Email Diane boopdi@yahoo.com) For the next five days, that is what I have to do.

Now if you add on the cage cleaning and litterboxes, then you are looking at a 15 hour day or more, providing no one calls, I have no vet runs, laundry, expect to take a shower, fund raising to do, supplies to pick up, and husband doesn't expect to get fed. Oh yeah, no surrenders.

So you see, I don't do it all. I fail most miserably at doing it all. That is why volunteers are so important.

All non profits life blood is volunteers. A shelter whether it is human or animal cannot continue with out volunteers. (And more than two or five or seven)

Actually, this is something I was thinking about while I was doing cages, I had such a great "blog" going in my head, and now it is gone, just bits and pieces of it. Man, and it sounded so good, so compelling!!

Ok, what it boils down to is this. All shelters need volunteers. Hospitals need volunteers, schools need volunteers, zoos need volunteers, libraries need volunteers.

So, pick your favorite, and volunteer 4 hours once a month. That isn't much, and it isn't often, but the amount that it will help the organization you choose to help is invaluable.

Can you imagine what it would be like if we could get people to do that? I mean, not just here, but everywhere. Can you imagine the impact that that could have on society? The impact it could have on the quality of life for humans and animals alike?

If everyone could do just 4 hours once a month to help their favorite group, charity, cause, the difference would be awe inspiring.

So here is to dreaming that someday it will happen.