Hitting the Streets to Save More Lives

This week's post is a guest blog from Kaitlyn Anderson, HSBV Development Associate

I’ve been with the Humane Society for almost five years.  During that time, I’ve been through a whole range of emotions – I’ve cried with clients who’ve had to separate from their beloved pets, I’ve been elated when my favorite dog from the adoption center goes home, I’ve been thrilled by the results of our latest fundraising campaign and I’ve been satisfied that the work I’m doing makes a difference in the lives of homeless animals.  But I’ve never experienced any emotions quite like what I’ve been experiencing lately.

 The ASPCA $100K Challenge has motivated our staff and volunteers to another level.  We feel exhilarated.  We feel innovative.  We feel invincible. All of our creative juices are flowing, and we’re making changes to programs and practices that had us stuck in a rut.  It’s incredible. 

My favorite part of this whole process has been the development of our Street Team.  Our Street Team is a group of volunteers who literally hit the streets in our community and spread the word about the challenge and the many benefits of adopting a shelter pet.  We encourage the people we meet to either 1. adopt a pet or 2. adopt a pet project.  A pet project could be as simple as passing on a coupon to a friend looking for a pet or posting the link for your favorite animal available for adoption to your Facebook page or Twitter account.  We’ve hit festivals, farmers’ markets, Pearl Street and this weekend we’re heading to Mesa Trailhead in South Boulder to host a “doggie rest stop!” 

Lindsay Scott, a member of our Development and Community Relations Team, loves the Street Team because we get to see the adoption experience come full circle.  Many times we see brand-new excited guardians leave the shelter with their newly adopted pets, and we always wonder how their relationship has developed.  For example, last weekend we met a dog that Lindsay thought looked strikingly familiar.  When she and her guardian approached our booth, we learned that she was indeed Willow, one of Lindsay’s favorite dogs!  Willow spent time in our dog adoption center and after being adopted was returned.  Lindsay was out of the shelter when Willow was adopted the second time, and she always wondered where this amazing dog had ended up. Willow is now a certified Animal-Assisted Therapy dog and is serving at Platte Valley Hospital with her guardian. It was evident that Willow and her guardian are devoted to one another.  She and her guardian were simply beaming!  This is the kind of “happy ending” that we have been privileged to see while we’re out with the Street Team. The Street Team is more than an outreach program – it’s an affirmation that what we do every day really promotes healthy relationships between pets and people.

If you’d like to get involved, sign up on our meetup site [hyperlink: http://www.meetup.com/HSBV-Adopt-a-Pet-Project-Street-Team/ ] or email Kaitlyn.Anderson@boulderhumane.org    

 

Comments

[Kim Terlau]

The Street Team is AWESOME! I need to get my skates readay for tomorrow!