Animal Shelter Adventure

Carroll County Animal Shelter 

My cats Aphrodite and Feyre.  

Last weekend, my family decided to visit the Carroll County Animal Shelter. I have visited this shelter with clubs since I was fourteen years old and love to go with my friends and my sister. Over the years, my family has adopted over six cats here and hopefully many more to come. We have always enjoyed volunteering and playing with all the cats and dogs, and we love to help clean the animals, entertain the animals, and talk with the staff. 

This particular visit was extremely challenging. As much as I like to see and play with the kittens and puppies, it is very difficult to leave them all behind. I can't possibly comprehend what all the pets in the shelter are feeling once we abandon them all over again.

Crazy Cats 

My cats Tobias and Aphrodite. 

When we first got there, I played with the kittens. Many of them started to make little noises and beg me to pick them up and give them attention. They scratched at their cages and jumped up on the bars pleading for release. I picked up a few of them and felt a calmness settle over me as I was petting them for a while. As hard as it was, I put each back into their, hopefully, temporary homes and said goodbye.

Before we exited their building, my mother spotted the tiniest, gray kitten rolling around in a cage. When she took the kitten out, we noticed all the dirt and food covering her fur. We immediately asked the staff for cleaning wipes and towels. We took the baby kitten into a bonding room and did our best to clean her up. She was visibly a bit sick and had dirt in her ears, around her eyes, and on her nose. Her tail was completely matted and quite sensitive to our touches. Even though the poor cat had to suffer through our washing, she got through it and eventually started to turn back into her fantastic feline self.  

Although it was a hard, and kind of gross, experience, it was very touching to see this kitten come alive again. She went from a dirty and whining kitten to a refreshed and lively creature after the necessary bathing. After the whole ordeal, we put the cat back in her cage and left. We went to the dog building and played with the puppies for a bit, and, after a while, said a heart wrenching goodbye to them too.  

Rewarding Farewells 

My cat Sophia. 

On our way out, we passed by the cat building and the kind member of the staff that had helped us clean the kitten. Before leaving, he told us how thankful he was that we had come by to volunteer, clean the cat, and talk with him. He told us that after our cleaning session another staff member came by and took a brand new picture of the kitten to put on the website. He expressed that if we had passed by the kitten like everyone else and hadn't come in and helped the poor thing, she wouldn't have gotten a picture that could help find her a great home. Overjoyed and feeling great, we said our farewells and left the shelter. 

I can't wait for my next visit to the Carroll County Animal Shelter. Volunteering there has always been such a beneficial and rewarding experience. Giving the animals even a little love can go such a long way, and I hope to continue to help even more cats and dogs in the future. 

My cat Tobias.