Shift was 11:00pm to 7:00am (October 30th to October 31st)
I probably forgot to mention that while I work at the Shelter, I still have a full time 9-5 job during the week-days. I had just finished a shift and had quite the horrible day. I am the receptionist of a building that houses three companies so I am quite busy. I am replacing a woman who had been employed for over a year and didn't do anything right since day one. Lets just say, I've had to do a lot of cleaning up and I'm no where near done. While I was working, I've been insulted and interrogated over eight times in one day and was now questioning myself as to why I was staying there while so miserable.
I got home quite tired and fed up of the crap I had to deal with. I put the dogs out and fed them, once they were done I took a nap till about 9:00pm. I got up feeling refreshed and took a shower putting the dogs back outside and once everyone was inside and settled down, I left for work.
I got to the Shelter and punched in and went to the reception to meet my co-workers. I was told I was working with Carole and that I would be for quite some time now. I met a woman in her mid-forties and we hit it off right away. She showed me the check-list for the night shift about all the chores to be done when it came to sanitizing the building. While she was explaining everything to me, Carl showed up and the three of us started talking about our dysfunctional families.
Carole went ahead and checked on all the animals, changing their waters, cleaning up messes and picking up bowls. She also checks their health in case anything needs to be urgently done. At night, we do not have any vets on staff so if something happens to an animal, we have to bring them to the emergency vet called the DM-V.
Carl and I went ahead with sweeping the floors then mopping them. While we let the floors dry, we did the dishes and laundry. Once the floors were dry, we went ahead and took all the garbage bags and recycling into the garage.
After the general cleaning is done, we washed the doors where the animals have contact to remove nose smudges and we brought clean cat carriers upstairs for when people bring in strays or when they give up their pets. We also make sure we have enough card board transporters for when people adopt cats and don't have a carrier with them.
At 5:00am, we feed the dogs. I usually take care of the Adoptions and Kennel Cough section. Carl and Carole took care of the Pre-Adoptions and Strays. By the time we are finished feeding, picking up the dirty dishes and then cleaning the dirty cages of the dogs, its basically time to go. The shift finished at 7:00am and I was still quite awake, I headed home and crashed after tending to my own dogs and writing this blog of course :)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Second Shift
Shift was 3:00pm - 11:00pm
I came in a good half an hour early, I didn't want to be late for work. MC was there and waved at me and we spoke a bit about how much I liked the job and how happy she was that I was enjoying it so much.
I went into the kitchen and punched in wondering who I was working with. Upon checking the schedule, I was working with Vicky again who was only staying till 9:00pm and with another girl named Emily.
The day went by rather quickly, cleaning up cages, checking on the animals. I was quite happy that nothing out of the ordinary happened and the shift flew by quickly. Before I knew it, Vicky was on her way out and after another two hours, Emily and I were on our way out as well.
Nothing to report yet but I'm still new, I'm sure fun adventures will happen soon enough!
I came in a good half an hour early, I didn't want to be late for work. MC was there and waved at me and we spoke a bit about how much I liked the job and how happy she was that I was enjoying it so much.
I went into the kitchen and punched in wondering who I was working with. Upon checking the schedule, I was working with Vicky again who was only staying till 9:00pm and with another girl named Emily.
The day went by rather quickly, cleaning up cages, checking on the animals. I was quite happy that nothing out of the ordinary happened and the shift flew by quickly. Before I knew it, Vicky was on her way out and after another two hours, Emily and I were on our way out as well.
Nothing to report yet but I'm still new, I'm sure fun adventures will happen soon enough!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The First Shift
Shift was 3:00pm - 11:00pm
I walked in quite excited about my shift. The first person I saw was MC who welcomed me to the team and she showed me the punch clock which is located in the kitchen, which is on the first floor, across from the laundry room.I was being trained by Chantal who is from Jamaica and working along side Vicky, it was her second day on the job.
It was easy to say, the shift was mostly concentrated on how everything worked and where everything was. It was a lot to take in but it reminded me of when I worked at the Boarding Kennel except these dogs and cats didn't belong to anyone and they would never return once adopted.
The afternoon shift consists of these tasks
Punch IN
Check on dogs, cats, exotic pets
Feeding basement
LUNCH
Feeding upstairs
cleaning up
checking on animals
Handing out medication
Punch out
So as explained we started with tending to the dogs first in their respective sections to avoid cross contamination. We start with Adoptions, Pre-Adoptions, Strays and finally Kennel Cough.
Kennel cough or tracheobronchitis
This is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases that dogs can contract. The disease is not serious in most cases, however, and often resolves itself after one to two weeks. The accepted medical term for kennel cough is tracheobronchitis, indicating a form of bronchitis that affects the dog's trachea.
Kennel cough can be caused by several airborne bacteria and viruses. It is generally accepted that most cases of kennel cough are caused by the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica but it has also been associated with the canine distemper virus (CDV) and canine parainfluenza. It is the general consensus of the veterinary medical community that in order to cause the illness, an animal must be virtually bombarded by multiple versions of these pathogens at one time. For this reason it is dogs that spend a lot of time around other dogs that are most at risk for the disease. Dogs that participate in dog shows or spend a lot of time in kennels are the highest risks for kennel cough.
The primary symptom of kennel cough is a dry, spasmodic cough which is caused by the inflammation of the dog's trachea and bronchi. Coughing spells will often result in the dog coughing up a white and foamy discharge. Some dogs will also develop conjunctivitis - an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids. Nasal discharge may also be present. In effect, the dog appears to have a very nasty cold or flu. As stated above, the disease is rarely serious and almost never life-threatening. Still, if you have seen any of these symptoms or have reason to believe that your dog has or has been exposed to kennel cough, you should consult your vet immediately.
Your vet will be able to diagnose kennel cough with a physical examination and medical history. The cough associated with the ailment is very characteristic and a simple massage of the dog's throat can usually cause it to cough on cue. In some cases, such as if the dog is depressed or feverish or expelling a yellow or green discharge, the doctor may require additional diagnostic tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) and laboratory testing of microorganisms in the dog's airway. These tests will help the doctor rule out other infectious diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, or canine distemper.
Then we do the same for the cats. Adoptions, Pre-Adoptions, Strays and finally Rhino. If your wondering what rhino is, i'll explain.
Rhinotracheitis (FVR, rhino, Feline Herpes)
This acute disease affects the respiratory system. Symptoms are similar to our common cold, and include sneezing and coughing. Next the eyes become red, swollen and sensitive to light. The eyes produce a watery discharge, and the nose usually runs and forms a crust. Fever may be present, and the cat may stop eating and seem depressed.
Like the human cold virus, rhino is easily transmitted from one cat to another through direct contact, shared food and water dishes, litter boxes, or aerosol droplets drifting in the air from the emissions of an infected cat. Humans caring for infected cats can carry FVR on their hands, clothes, or even their feet. The risk of infecting your cat by petting a strange cat is small, although washing your hands after handling an unfamiliar animal is a wise habit to develop.
Treating FVR is usually symptomatic. Antibiotics are given to treat secondary infections. In severe cases, fluids are given to overcome dehydration, and oxygen is given if lack of respiratory function decreases the cat's oxygen intake.
Once we finish with the main task, we look over in the euthanasia room to see who needs a change of water. We avoid touching them because most animals carry diseases that are too far gone for treatment. So basically that room is filled with animals on death row. The room itself is white with nothing comforting since the cages face the fridge, the final resting place after the injection is done in a tiny separate room on the side. Chantal told me that the vet listens to the radio while he does this gruesome task.
During our shift, we're also in charge of doing laundry, we managed to do 9 loads and it still looked like we barely made a dent in the room. It was somewhat depressive!
After feeding the basement around 5:30pm which consists of stray dogs and cats, pre-adoptions dogs and cats, rhino cats and euthanasia room, we are able to go eat. Our lunch break lasts an hour, paid in full.
Once we finish our break, we feed the animals on the first floor at 8:00pm which consists of adoptions dogs and cats and kennel cough. After everyone has ate, we pick up the empty dishes from all the cages. In order to do the dishes, we have to clean them all by hand first, to remove any residue of food then put them in a dishwater to finalise the cleaning process.
We spent the remaining of the shift cleaning the cages of any messes and once 10:00pm hits, we go into the clinic and get the medication to distribute to the dogs who need them.
Once thats done, we do a final check and the day is over!
I walked in quite excited about my shift. The first person I saw was MC who welcomed me to the team and she showed me the punch clock which is located in the kitchen, which is on the first floor, across from the laundry room.I was being trained by Chantal who is from Jamaica and working along side Vicky, it was her second day on the job.
It was easy to say, the shift was mostly concentrated on how everything worked and where everything was. It was a lot to take in but it reminded me of when I worked at the Boarding Kennel except these dogs and cats didn't belong to anyone and they would never return once adopted.
The afternoon shift consists of these tasks
Punch IN
Check on dogs, cats, exotic pets
Feeding basement
LUNCH
Feeding upstairs
cleaning up
checking on animals
Handing out medication
Punch out
So as explained we started with tending to the dogs first in their respective sections to avoid cross contamination. We start with Adoptions, Pre-Adoptions, Strays and finally Kennel Cough.
Kennel cough or tracheobronchitis
This is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases that dogs can contract. The disease is not serious in most cases, however, and often resolves itself after one to two weeks. The accepted medical term for kennel cough is tracheobronchitis, indicating a form of bronchitis that affects the dog's trachea.
Kennel cough can be caused by several airborne bacteria and viruses. It is generally accepted that most cases of kennel cough are caused by the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica but it has also been associated with the canine distemper virus (CDV) and canine parainfluenza. It is the general consensus of the veterinary medical community that in order to cause the illness, an animal must be virtually bombarded by multiple versions of these pathogens at one time. For this reason it is dogs that spend a lot of time around other dogs that are most at risk for the disease. Dogs that participate in dog shows or spend a lot of time in kennels are the highest risks for kennel cough.
The primary symptom of kennel cough is a dry, spasmodic cough which is caused by the inflammation of the dog's trachea and bronchi. Coughing spells will often result in the dog coughing up a white and foamy discharge. Some dogs will also develop conjunctivitis - an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids. Nasal discharge may also be present. In effect, the dog appears to have a very nasty cold or flu. As stated above, the disease is rarely serious and almost never life-threatening. Still, if you have seen any of these symptoms or have reason to believe that your dog has or has been exposed to kennel cough, you should consult your vet immediately.
Your vet will be able to diagnose kennel cough with a physical examination and medical history. The cough associated with the ailment is very characteristic and a simple massage of the dog's throat can usually cause it to cough on cue. In some cases, such as if the dog is depressed or feverish or expelling a yellow or green discharge, the doctor may require additional diagnostic tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) and laboratory testing of microorganisms in the dog's airway. These tests will help the doctor rule out other infectious diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, or canine distemper.
Then we do the same for the cats. Adoptions, Pre-Adoptions, Strays and finally Rhino. If your wondering what rhino is, i'll explain.
Rhinotracheitis (FVR, rhino, Feline Herpes)
This acute disease affects the respiratory system. Symptoms are similar to our common cold, and include sneezing and coughing. Next the eyes become red, swollen and sensitive to light. The eyes produce a watery discharge, and the nose usually runs and forms a crust. Fever may be present, and the cat may stop eating and seem depressed.
Like the human cold virus, rhino is easily transmitted from one cat to another through direct contact, shared food and water dishes, litter boxes, or aerosol droplets drifting in the air from the emissions of an infected cat. Humans caring for infected cats can carry FVR on their hands, clothes, or even their feet. The risk of infecting your cat by petting a strange cat is small, although washing your hands after handling an unfamiliar animal is a wise habit to develop.
Treating FVR is usually symptomatic. Antibiotics are given to treat secondary infections. In severe cases, fluids are given to overcome dehydration, and oxygen is given if lack of respiratory function decreases the cat's oxygen intake.
Once we finish with the main task, we look over in the euthanasia room to see who needs a change of water. We avoid touching them because most animals carry diseases that are too far gone for treatment. So basically that room is filled with animals on death row. The room itself is white with nothing comforting since the cages face the fridge, the final resting place after the injection is done in a tiny separate room on the side. Chantal told me that the vet listens to the radio while he does this gruesome task.
During our shift, we're also in charge of doing laundry, we managed to do 9 loads and it still looked like we barely made a dent in the room. It was somewhat depressive!
After feeding the basement around 5:30pm which consists of stray dogs and cats, pre-adoptions dogs and cats, rhino cats and euthanasia room, we are able to go eat. Our lunch break lasts an hour, paid in full.
Once we finish our break, we feed the animals on the first floor at 8:00pm which consists of adoptions dogs and cats and kennel cough. After everyone has ate, we pick up the empty dishes from all the cages. In order to do the dishes, we have to clean them all by hand first, to remove any residue of food then put them in a dishwater to finalise the cleaning process.
We spent the remaining of the shift cleaning the cages of any messes and once 10:00pm hits, we go into the clinic and get the medication to distribute to the dogs who need them.
Once thats done, we do a final check and the day is over!
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Interview
I woke up late this morning and noticed it was almost noon, how I hate waking up late. Not only do I miss half of the day, it throws me off schedule a bit when it comes to chores and taking care of the dogs.
I only had enough time to take a shower and pick an outfit before having to dash out the door and fight traffic to get to the shelter on time for the interview at 2:30pm.
MC was quite busy that day and when she saw me arrive, she brightened up and dropped everything to have a chat with me. I sat in her office, petting the cat she was fostering as she got straight to the point and filled out the papers with me. Without even looking over my CV a second time in my presence, she had given me the job and was now looking up my offered salary. Since I was taking evening and night shifts, I would be getting two salaries and of course the night shifts paid more so I was more inclined to work those.
After looking over the forms and signing everything on the dotted line, I was now an employee in a field of work I simply adore.
I only had enough time to take a shower and pick an outfit before having to dash out the door and fight traffic to get to the shelter on time for the interview at 2:30pm.
MC was quite busy that day and when she saw me arrive, she brightened up and dropped everything to have a chat with me. I sat in her office, petting the cat she was fostering as she got straight to the point and filled out the papers with me. Without even looking over my CV a second time in my presence, she had given me the job and was now looking up my offered salary. Since I was taking evening and night shifts, I would be getting two salaries and of course the night shifts paid more so I was more inclined to work those.
After looking over the forms and signing everything on the dotted line, I was now an employee in a field of work I simply adore.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Job Offer
I had gone in that day, looking for a cat that might need help, specifically a blind kitten. Why I chose to go today could only be explained by spontaneity.
I had dragged Tristan along, I often drag him along when I want to do something spontaneous and crazy and he doesnt seem to mind tagging along the ride. I didn't see any kittens needing help but when we checked the dog section, we noticed a very ill looking dog and being on the board of directors of a rescue, I felt inclined to help.
After getting quite a bit of information on him and being determined to acquire him, I had to go as far as speaking to the Direction of the place. MC is quite an awesome woman, she is so dedicated and after a long chat with her, the dog would be mine.
She noticed that I was quite knowledgeable in the field and she asked if I was looking for a job. Even though I had just started one elsewhere, I knew i couldn't pass it up. I got her e-mail address and as soon as I got home, I sent her my CV.
Safe to say I'm anxious to know if I'll get an interview!
I had dragged Tristan along, I often drag him along when I want to do something spontaneous and crazy and he doesnt seem to mind tagging along the ride. I didn't see any kittens needing help but when we checked the dog section, we noticed a very ill looking dog and being on the board of directors of a rescue, I felt inclined to help.
After getting quite a bit of information on him and being determined to acquire him, I had to go as far as speaking to the Direction of the place. MC is quite an awesome woman, she is so dedicated and after a long chat with her, the dog would be mine.
She noticed that I was quite knowledgeable in the field and she asked if I was looking for a job. Even though I had just started one elsewhere, I knew i couldn't pass it up. I got her e-mail address and as soon as I got home, I sent her my CV.
Safe to say I'm anxious to know if I'll get an interview!
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