Helen

I look forward to going to the Front Street Animal Shelter. Some days I wake up in the morning, and the first thing I think is, “I wonder how Valentino is doing today?” I think of the cats at Front Street as an extended family to my own pet family of cats and birds.

I started volunteering at Front Street the first week in January 2016. I did the initial shelter chores, knowing that every piece of laundry I folded or dish I washed was helping to save a life! It was fun to get to know the employees and the other shelter volunteers.

Over time, I took on increasingly challenging activities. I fostered kittens, both newborns and “feeder-growers.” I learned to give kittens their medicines and to prepare shots for them. I spent over a year with the special kitties in Ringworm Town, where I learned to use special techniques with the cats. That prepared me to do an experimental program, having a volunteer in the Cattery, Cat Quarantine, and Cat Sick. There, I help socialize and enrich the cats which that are new to our Shelter.

I wouldn’t want to trade jobs with anyone! This volunteer work is deeply satisfying to me.

Helen Alexander