Sandi Paws

On Sunday, March 10, I took the opportunity to volunteer with the Sandi Paws

organization from 8 in the morning until noon as they prepared for and took in almost 60

new dogs all the way from Alabama. Sandi Paws is a nonprofit organization with the

mission to rescue and nurture abandoned, abused dogs while also educating the public

about the importance of animal respect and responsibility. The day consisted of a van

arriving with 57 dogs and puppies, taking care of those dogs, and then sending them

home to new loving families. The experience was gratifying and one that I will truly

never forget.

My work began when a large white van arrived carrying dog crates filled with up

to three dogs (depending on the size) each. I was told to grab a leash and hook it to a

dog when a new one needed to be taken. From there, I would bring the dog outside, let

it sniff around, and use the bathroom. Many of these dogs had come from abusive

homes or places that were not fit to inhabit a dog. One of Sandi Paws’s main volunteers

informed me that a person could pick up a dog in Alabama for $20 at places like Seven

Eleven. This was an enormous surprise to me because we usually don’t publically

witness things like this in Wisconsin. Anyway, one of the puppies I took outside was so

terrified that it crawled into a ball and huddled in a corner. My heart felt like it was

breaking because there was no way for me to verbally communicate to the puppy that I

just wanted to give it love.

After all the puppies were safely in their cages, I was told to give the dogs

attention by taking the dogs out of their crates to walk around, playing with puppies in

their pens, bringing dogs food and water, and cleaning up after dogs who had gone to
the bathroom inside of the building. My favorite part of the day was holding tiny puppies

of all different breeds and having them jump all over me. I caught myself laughing out

loud at least three times during my four hours volunteering. The relieving part about

being with the little puppies was that they didn’t have much recollection of the awful

situations they had been born into and weren’t so fearful of human interaction. However,

taking out the older dogs was a different story. Many of the older dogs were left alone in

their crates to wait for someone to take them home. The dogs were anxious as a result

of being deprived of proper care and holed up in crates in their old situations. I wanted

to make sure I gave the older dogs lots of love because I knew that the majority of

people are only interested in looking at puppies. I spent most of my time taking the adult

dogs out and trying to comfort them because I could only imagine the absolutely

unacceptable conditions they had faced prior to being rescued.

The most rewarding part of my day was when I was able to see dogs I had

bonded with all day go home with families who were going to give the dogs unlimited

amounts of love and care for the rest of their lives. At around 10:30, people began

shuffling in to pick up dogs they had either reserved or to look at dogs who were still

available. For the rest of my time volunteering, I used my social skills to advertise dogs

to potential owners. I talked to people unsure of what dog they were going to buy about

different dogs’ personalities. I had gained knowledge of so many specific dogs’

behaviors that I could pass my knowledge onto hopeful buyers. The experience was

incredibly rewarding and it makes me ecstatic to know that I helped get dogs into

forever homes.
 In conclusion, volunteering at Sandi Paws taught me a lot about the importance

of giving your time to worthwhile organizations who need it. Before my day at Sandi

Paws, I had no gauge on how many dogs are suffering because of irresponsible and

abusive owners. I felt guilty about having a Great Dane from a breeder because I saw

how many dogs who weren’t from breeders needed homes. Now, I know that if I ever

get a dog I want to adopt from a shelter or help a dog in need because I’m aware that a

responsible owner’s care can save a dog’s life. I highly recommend that others

volunteer at Sandi Paws because they need a lot of help to keep their organization

running and it is a morally rewarding experience. Through my experience at Sandi

Paws, I learned that there is so much we need to accomplish in this world and that even

a small gesture, such as volunteering at an organization for four hours, can make a

huge impact on your community.