Being a volunteer at an animal shelter is a very rewarding experience, but it also involves a lot of commitment and dedication. At the shelter, volunteers are in charge of providing love, care and attention to animals that are in vulnerable situations. But what does volunteering at an animal shelter really entail? To answer this question, we have the honor of interviewing Susana Garmendia, volunteer of the Txikas Association of Etxauri, who will share with us his experience, motivations and challenges of such an important work in Spain where About 300.000 dogs and cats are abandoned every year.
What motivated you to volunteer for a shelter?
The love for animals. From a very young age in our house, my sister and I have been transmitted a love for animals. When I was born there was already a dog at home that my father rescued from a litter that was going to be thrown into the river. This sounds horrible to us now and like it was something from a long time ago, but, unfortunately, in many environments it is still done. Then we had another dog that my father picked up from the road, then another that was going to be euthanized, another that had been abandoned on the street during the holidays... At home we have always had rescued animals and we have assumed it as something very natural. So when I had the opportunity to take another step, I didn't hesitate.
How did you get to the Txikas de Etxauri shelter? What work do you do there?
I am from Guipúzcoa and, together with my friend Miriam, more than 15 years ago we read something about the Etxauri kennel by chance on an abandoned animals forum. Etxauri is the kennel of the Government of Navarra, it is not our shelter or protector, but a public kennel. We informed ourselves and decided to go there. When we arrived what we found was horrible, it was practically an extermination center.
The dogs came there practically to be sacrificed. Every Friday the vet appeared and they did a “cleaning” of the dogs. They started with the oldest, those who were sick, those who thought they had no chance of being adopted... There was no adoption policy, no dissemination policy, or anything... the only ones who knew that kennel were those who went there to abandon the dogs.
You can imagine how we felt when we saw that situation, especially as two private people who couldn't do anything. The only thing we did was photograph all the dogs that were in the 40 cheniles, write down the little information there was (male or female, young or old, big or small), they didn't even have names... From there we started contacting them. people to try to get dogs out of there in dribs and drabs, since we didn't have resources of any kind to help them either. The only thing we could do is pay for dog day care and other expenses out of our pockets, and spread the word about the cases. Little by little we met people, made contacts, contacted other associations to help us and, little by little, several girls got together to form the association.
Since then, many people have entered and left “Txikas de Etxauri”, but currently and for a few years now we have been a very consolidated group made up of 10 girls. We took the step of becoming an Association, but we do not have subsidies or official aid of any kind.
What we have achieved during these years is to change the center of Etxauri. Being a public kennel, its management is put out to public tender every several years. At the time we showed up, but they didn't give it to us. In any case, what the kennel was then and what it is today has nothing to do with it. The current team that manages the center is very animalistic, so we work hand in hand with them, we are going down the same path and the collaboration is very close.
What qualities are important to be a good volunteer in a shelter?
The first and most obvious thing is the love for animals, but you also have to have a lot of empathy, dedication and responsibility. You have to do things with a lot of heart, but also with a lot of head because you can't just start helping all the animals you would like, you have to think things through.
Then everything is rewarded with everything they give you, they give you everything back multiplied by 1.000.
Naomi for adoption with Txikas of Etxauri
What tasks do you perform as a volunteer at the shelter and how much time do you dedicate?
Most of the girls in the association go on Saturdays, which is when we can for work, family... and some colleagues who live in Navarra try to go whenever they can during the week.
We dedicate exclusive time to each animal, paying attention to them in the fields, working little by little with those who arrive with the most fear, spending more time with the most nervous ones and letting them vent more, gaining confidence with them... and then a task very important: dissemination. We take a lot of photos and videos to tell the story of each one, so that people don't see them as a number (the black dog from box X), but as what they are. For example, Lagun, who has arrived with a lot of fear, but is gradually trusting and is very attached to his brother, etc. We try to let people know their story, their life, know their name... through social networks so that they can find a family, which is in the end what everyone deserves.
When they get to the pound they don't understand anything, they get to a cage, they have a hard time, they come from all kinds of situations, house dogs, hunting dogs, guard dogs... In most cases we don't know where they come from or what conditions. life they have had. These are very difficult situations for them and we try to make their time in Etxauri as bearable as possible.
The current managers of the center dedicate all the time and care they can to them, but there is an average of 100 dogs... We complement this care a little with individual dedication time and try to accompany them.
On the other hand, it is not only about the time we spend there, but also the time we spend reviewing adoption questionnaires, pre-adoption visits, managing the foster homes, organizing transportation, thinking about how we can raise money, for example, to operate on a dog, also to organize flea markets, merchandising, photos and writing their stories to spread them, etc. It is not that specific hours are dedicated to each day or week, time is relative, it is a continuous dedication without time being quantified.
What do you enjoy most and what is most difficult about volunteering?
The most rewarding thing is obviously when a dog manages to be adopted and reaches a family that loves it, cares for it, and gives it the life it deserves. When you know how the animal arrived, what it has suffered, how bad it was and its new family sends you photos or videos telling you how they are overcoming their fears or that they have set foot on the beach for the first time in their life, you see them happy... That feeling is priceless. For us it is a celebration every time someone achieves it.
The hardest thing is when you don't get it, when you finally find a family, you have done all the filters, you have trusted those people and then they fail, because the dog doesn't fail, they fail. They have not had enough responsibility and at the slightest problem or when they do not know how or do not want to manage and solve it, they give you the dog back. That is a failure for us because we have failed in choosing the family and they have failed, we have put the life of a dog in their hands, which for us is the most valuable thing, and they fail you. In the end the one who pays for it is the dog and he is very tough.
It is also hard when an individual asks you for help because they cannot or do not want to have their dog anymore, or because they have had a litter and do not know what to do with the puppies, and you try to find a good way out for that dog, with a job of diffusion, searching for a good family... and when you finally find it, you find out that the individual has given the dog away or left it I don't know where... When you don't arrive on time it is a very hard situation.
Of course, when dogs die without us being able to find a family for them and they die in the pound or in a nursing home, it is very hard for us.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in volunteering at a shelter?
Be encouraged to do it, it is a very important task, but don't idealize it and think that it is just going for a while, cleaning the cage, giving the dog a walk and that's it. If you are going to dedicate yourself to this, it has to be with a lot of involvement. And perhaps the work they need from you is not the one you want. There are many ways to collaborate and you have to be willing to help with the needs that exist: maintain social networks, take care of trips to the vet or another place, collaborate in a market...
Regarding animal care, do you use natural products or therapies?
We are a very united group, but with very different opinions. Some are more in favor of traditional medicine and others of natural products, so we combine all the options. We combine traditional veterinary treatments such as antibiotics, operations, medications... with natural therapies such as Bach flowers. Anything that helps the animal is welcome.
Will and Frida for adoption with Txikas of Etxauri
What is necessary to adopt an animal? What advice would you give to adopters?
The first thing we do is a fairly long questionnaire where many things are asked: if the whole family agrees with that animal coming into the house, if they have had a dog before, if there are more animals at home at that time, if there are children... There may be families or people very suitable to adopt, but not for just any dog. For example, families that live in a very urban environment or where there are small children at home with a lot of movement and noise, may not be the most suitable for a fearful animal.
Some advice for people who are going to adopt is that they do it with great responsibility, that if they are not willing that that animal that is going to enter the house, no matter what happens, will accompany them until the end of their life, that do not adopt it.
There are animals that carry a backpack on their backs, that are afraid, that have behavioral problems or are not yet educated to be at home, that do not get along with other dogs... it is not about taking the animal home and that's it. , a period of adaptation is necessary.
There are 365 days a year for approximately 15 years that an animal lives, in those years people's lives change a lot, a new partner, births, children leaving home, job changes, changes in schedules... They have to think that, no matter what happens, the animal will accompany them throughout their lives, as another member of the family that they are.
Before handing over the animal, do you give adopters any type of advice?
After the questionnaire, if both parties agree, we meet with the family to get to know each other and resolve doubts. Then they meet the dog they have their eye on or potential animals that we think might fit them.
After this, the family must sign an adoption contract where they agree to be responsible, that the dog is another member of the family that will have the care it needs, that it will not be a guard or work dog, but it will be a dog that will be with them at home and will live with them. A commitment on their part that they will take responsibility in all situations.
The dogs are delivered sterilized, except if they are puppies and due to their age they have not yet been able to be sterilized. In this case, the family agrees in the contract to castrate him.
We give them a lot of advice and tell them that we will always be there to support them in case of doubts or problems. We make it clear to them that animals need a period of adaptation, that everything is new and that each dog is different and has experienced different situations and reacts differently. That with patience and work everything comes. We also recommend educators we trust if any problems arise.
We encourage you to ask us, just because you adopted the dog does not make us disappear.
Part of the team Txikas of Etxauri: Susana, Ainara, Danae and Ángela with Nelson (for adoption).
If you want to contact the Etxauri Txicas, you can do so here.
