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The greatest challenge for me was that I had to leave these amazing animals after having a whole day of fun. There's this dog who's a lab retriever (golden retriever and labrador) who reminds me so much of my 16 year old back at home except she's a full golden retriever and she's not the color black. Dexter is such a sweetheart, much like my dog, and is very lazy. Another challenge was that I've learned that not every dog likes to be baby talked and is open to petting. I learned this the hard way when I was asked to take out a chihuahua, who was in fact kinda big for its kind, and I tried to pet her to which she rejected by attempting to bite my limb. I am not as naive as I was a month ago that's for sure. Rewards are just being there to care for the animals and the fun and friendly environment the workers of the shelter provide. I never feel awkward at this place and I will continue to volunteer here.

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3727 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75244

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I walked to the shelter after my government class and it was convenient to have an animal shelter 5 minutes away in walking distance. I volunteered with my friend Jennifer and from the first day, we were able to get a hang of things and what was to be expected from us. The first task we completed was to fold any dry and clean laundry and to start the washer and dryer. After the laundry, we washed and rinsed dishes. Something new I learned was how to operate a sanitize machine which was pretty cool. The picture here is of the garage/storage full of supplies we use for cleaning cages and replacing cat liters. I had to wash down a dog cage because the puppies in it pooped everywhere! So I had to take the cage out here and give it a nice wash, so that we could reuse the cage. Jennifer and I also take the dogs out into the back of the building which was made to look like a spacious backyard with false grass, a tent, and a pool so that they could move around and use the restroom.

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I didn't volunteer here just because it was convenient, but because I plan on pursuing a career in veterinary care. I wanted to get a quick look into what I will be experiencing and getting myself into when I own my shelter/hospital/grooming facility. There's a vet that only comes once a week and I plan on asking if I could shadow her and understand what each procedure improves

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The shelter is open to the public 4 days a week and each worker gives their 110% to fulfill the demands of those who walk in curious of the animals. Animals can find the shelter as a safe haven for this shelter does not condone killing its animals. Anyone who feels like they can't take care of a dog anymore are welcomed to pay a fee and leave their dog in the hands of this shelter; which in my opinion is awfully better than the free alternative of leaving the dog in the streets. The animal shelter hosts school field trips where they inform children on the proper way of treating an animal and taking care of it. The workers also see this place as a safe haven as well. There's one worker here named Steve who just started working here for one year after working at the Dallas Zoo for 15 years. He was laid off and though he misses his gorilla friends, he takes pride in his hard work here at the shelter.

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Volunteering here has made me less embarrassed to ask questions if I didn't understand a task or just why we had to do what we were doing. For instance, I didn't understand why we had to wash, rinse AND sanitize the dishes but Fred, the manager, explained to me that rinsing them wasn't enough to ensure a clean dish. I've also rekindled with my lost leadership side when I executed a group cleaning of the kitten cages. It felt fulfilling when I actually knew how to answer questions some new volunteers asked me.

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This class demanded a lot of self evaluating. The first day of class began with 2 hours of non-stop getting to know each other by asking 10 questions and sitting in a circle. If you don't know yourself, you would not be able to write a decent memoir that's worthy even for Professor Contreras to read. With volunteer work, you gather knowledge on what skills you strive in versus skills you suffer in. Team work plays a big role on whether you could contribute as a citizen in your society. English 1301 had group projects with strangers that you were going to have to get along with. Both English 1301 and Volunteering involve a group of people functioning to achieve one goal.