Shafter shelter manager making a difference
Topics: shyanne schull, shafter animal control, Shelter, dogs, difference
Posted by citizenjournalist Thu Feb 26, 2009 09:18:29 PST
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My interest in animals began at a very young age. As a child, I would bring home baby birds that fell from nests and try to save them. I would try to bring home every stray in the area, as many children do.
My passion grew from bringing home stray animals to a desire to make a difference in the lives of animals on a larger scale. I volunteered at our local veterinary clinic in high school and after that I worked at pet stores, ranches and anywhere that I could gain more animal handling experience. In addition to gaining work experience, I also earned a bachelor of science degree in animal science.
After graduation, I stumbled around for a year or two and ended up in animal control. Collectively, I have been in the field for eight years.
Initially, it was very difficult for me and I did not have the mental fortitude to do the job. I spent one year at one animal control agency and then I left to take a break. Later, I was offered the job that I have now, working for the city of Shafter. The opportunity to run a fairly small program and be in charge of most decisions enticed me, so I took the job. That was almost six years ago.
There are so many emotional facets that cross my path on a daily basis that I could go on for 10 pages. My situation is unique in that I am usually the person who is responsible for picking the animal up, helping to care for the animal during its stay at the shelter and then ultimately deciding the fate of the animal.
There is an emotional attachment to every phase of that process. It is difficult to stay emotionally detached. I can see in their eyes that they are scared, sick or just lost and they look at me through their kennels almost begging for help. It saddens me deeply to face the reality that I cannot possibly help them all. For the ones that I do help, I feel an elated sense of purpose.
My staff works very hard to try to find homes for all of our adoptable animals. I work with many animal rescues that take some of our animals and can hold on to them until they are adopted. We also have an adoption Web site that allows for more exposure of our adoptable animals. We have had people from as far away as Canada adopts an animal from our little shelter in Shafter!
We occasionally do off-site adoption days at various locations. The joy that I receive from helping those few adopted animals is what keeps me coming back to work everyday.
I always told myself that I would no longer continue this work if I could not make a difference. The fact that I am still here and doing what I do, means that I am making a difference.
About the author: Shyanne Schull is the Shafter Animal Control manager.
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