​The Little Shelter w/a Big Heart: Tails from Inside an Animal Shelter

In July of 2023, when I told others that I was going to start volunteering at Somerset Animals Shelter (SRAS) in Bridgewater, NJ, the most common responses were, “I could never do that, it would break my heart, and I’d want to take them all home.” I knew with two dogs and a cat at home, the latter wasn’t an option, but the former, well, let’s just say, I was a bit worried. But, having adopted one of my dogs and my cat from SRAS, I wanted to give back in some way other than just donating money and food supplies every now and then. And, while my heart would bend on several occasions, I knew I could do it. I had to.

The following story is a personal reflection based on said experience volunteering as a dog walker at SRAS. Each time I walk through the doors there is a roller coaster of emotion, and each time is different. I rejoice for the animals that have found a new home through adoption. I’m excited for the arrival of new fur babies carefully transported from other overcrowded shelters knowing SRAS will find them homes. I’m heartbroken when I see new fur faces that have been surrendered for whatever reason, abused in some way, or left abandoned to fend for themselves and are so confused, damaged, and overwhelmed at what is happening around them.

Over the months with many volunteer sessions under my belt and seeing the goings on at the shelter, I began to realize that the shelter is also a metaphor for life. It mirrors the full spectrum of human behavior and emotions, a person’s level of tolerance, empathy, and caring; It’s a reflection of a person’s priorities and choices. It runs the gamut of: the best of, the worst of, and the everything-in-between reality life throws at us. Life at the shelter can be unpredictable, it can be chaotic, there are routines, and there are unexpected surprises. There are tears of joy and celebration, and there are tears of sadness and anger. Yes, just like life.

And so it goes...

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The Best of: "Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever." - Karen Davison.

It’s easy to become cynical about people and our future as a human species. Just turn on the news. However, I’ve witnessed this shared sentiment among the community of animal lovers that, while we can’t save them all, we can do our best to help as many as possible. Everyone has their own ‘why’ but it’s the collective effort that continues to move the cause forward. Perhaps it’s a reflexive sense that if we can make even the smallest difference to help a living creature, we can tap into that connection within our soul and spirit of doing good in a world that often feels overwhelming and insurmountable.

Being part of SRAS has given me a glimpse and renewed hope that there are indeed wonderful, generous, kind people that extend out to the community at large. Piles of donations from the general public pour in on a daily basis. The outside shelter grounds are tidied and repaired by scout troops, school-aged students take the initiative to organize fundraisers; young and old slip their birthday money into the collection box; people drop off sheets and towels rather than throw them away, people think of us when they are ready for their next pet – the list goes on.

The joy and excitement of people leaving with a new ‘best friend’, or dropping off bags of kibble and toys specially suited for our sensitive tummies dogs and mega chewers, donating a kiddie pool for dogs to splash around in, sharing posts of adoptable pups out to social media land, smiling into the camera for a ‘gotcha day’ posting on the website brings clicks of hearts and happy face emojis are feelings that never get old. These endearing moments reveal that the world still exists outside of the social media vacuum that so often sabotages our kind sensibilities. Sensitivity and compassion for something other than oneself still breathes life – in this case tucked away in a 4000+ square foot brick building behind the soccer fields.

The Worst of: “We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” Immanuel Kant

Unfortunately, I’ve also witnessed some of the worst cruelty people are capable of in treating animals. There are terrible stories of releasing animals roadside or at shopping malls, throwing them out like garbage, using them for dog bait or target practice, or dumping them when they become an ‘inconvenience’. These actions, to me, are incomprehensible – this seeming ability to treat a living creature inhumanely, with neglect, abuse, or reckless abandonment. When I hear such stories and see animals first hand, battered and bruised when entering the shelter, it’s gut wrenching. And, these are just the visible scars. Unfortunately, there are people out there doing this stuff – to animals and in the world. The ugly side of life.

What I’ve noticed, however, the dedicated staff and other volunteers at SRAS, even when the worst of cases come through the door, there is always an outpouring of care and immediate action of ‘what can we do to make this creature’s life better, how can we ease the pain this animal must be going through, how can we comfort this damaged soul?’ It’s impossible not to feel the anger and affronted by these cases, but the team rises above the worst scenarios to find solutions for the best outcomes. It’s a good feeling.

And The Reality of: ‘You can’t change a dog’s past, but you can rewrite its future.” – Agnes Carres

As in life, there is everything else in between – unfortunate stories of owners dying, life circumstances forcing people to make tough decisions, dire living situations, and other unfortunate unpredictable events that alter the ability to care for pets – heartbreaking for all involved. It can be complicated, and in some cases, the right thing is to surrender an animal to the care of those willing and able to do better or right by it. These are the most complicated feelings to untangle. This is real life staring at you square in the face – and how do you reconcile that? You can’t. It just sucks.

Fortunately at the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter (SRAS), there are the most dedicated, caring, group of staff and volunteers that pick up the emotional and physical pieces of animals left behind and keep them together until they find the love they deserve. With 50+ years of care with a mission of saving and adopting out as many animals as possible, it’s no surprise they are known as the Little Shelter with a Big Heart!

If you’d like to help other pets on their journey to a better future, go to www.srasnj.org to donate (or to view our other wonderful pets!).

Click the following name links for more stories by the author:

Romeo

Gabbana

Boo

Author -- Eve Campeau