Service Learning

Literal

Log: Between the months of September and December I competed 35.5 hours, going twice a month on saturdays from roughly around 11 or 12 to 3 or 4. In the beginning of January ending in March I volunteered every week Monday thru Thursday usually between 2 and 5. My overall hours add up to over 80 hours.

Description of duties: I served as a shelter host, cat and dog companion (walked, exercise, played with the animals), showed the animals to families interested in adoption, took animals in for checkups and vaccinations, helped the animal control officers with new arrivals by helping them with weighing, vaccinations, pictures, and finding a place in the shelter for them to live until they are adopted. I also helped with taking pictures and videos of the dogs to post onto Youtube and Facebook.

Contact Name and Number:

 Romy Reid (she has my specific log sheet of the dates and times I went to the shelter; every month she takes our time sheets and puts in a new one)

Email: Rreid@animalcare.lacounty.gov

Phone: 562-256-1364

Lance Hunter (animal control manager)

Email: lhunter@animalcare.lacounty.gov

Phone: 626-430-2364

Interpretive

The most important thing I gained from this experience is learning the proper care and treatment of animals and working with the animal care attendants and animal control officers. If it weren't for these people I would not know what I know today about my senior project. I am able to talk about my topic, EQ, and answers not only through what I have researched but from personal experiences. All of my answers to my EQ can be supported through my experience at the shelter.

Applied

My experience at the shelter witnessing different cases of abuse, working with animal rescues, interviewing the animal care attendants and control officers, working with the animals and helping them find a home helped me answer my EQ. I felt volunteering there was a wonderful experience and a great way to help animals so I decided one of my best answers would be to volunteer at a local animal shelter or work with an animal related organization. The employees at the shelter, specifically the sergeant and the officers, helped me realize the importance of prosecuting an animal abuser; this helped me with my best answer to my EQ.

Service Learning 10 Hour Project Check

1.  I have provided quality care for shelter cats and dogs as well as assisting the kennel staff and fellow co-workers with basic cage/kennel cleaning, care and socialization, feeding, and exercise. I also help the general public, who are interested in adoption, find their ideal future pet companions. For example this Tuesday I helped a man find a small puppy for his 3 year old son. I have been involved in nearly 20 or so adoptions so far. This week I also saved and rushed a Siberian Husky, who licked open his wounds, to the veterinarian before his intestines and guts totally spilled out (heard this has happened before).
2.  I try to go every week for 4-8 hours. I have already completed over 30 hours.
3. The most significant thing I have learned through this experience is the shelters desperate need of the public's help. Hundreds of animals go through the Baldwin Park shelter every week alone and in order for all of these animals to survive and be adopted we need people to become better informed so that they can help with donations, adopt, and refer others. We need blankets, towels, toys, food, and more volunteers! I am there every week and its a great feeling when you help a poor helpless dog thats been locked up in a kennel get adopted and find a home and I just wish every animal in there can be but it doesn't always happen that way. So that is why we need huge support from the public.

Intro to Blog

This is the introduction to my senior project.