First Overnight Shift

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 :)