Perspective.

One of the most worthwhile, yet heartbreaking things I have done so far on my journey to becoming a vet was volunteer work at a local animal shelter.

One of my self-appointed volunteer duties was to take pictures of and advertise animals at the shelter. Here's one of my favorites (I had a tendency to fall in love with almost every animal I met there).

This animal shelter is not fancy. It is operated entirely by animal control officers and is funded by the city (which means it gets very little funding, especially since it is located in a rural area where a lot of people view animals as money instead of living creatures).

This shelter is like a second home to me. I had to endure a lot of sadness there, but the little victories add up and make it an amazing place. Every adoption was a victory.

It is a dreary place, made almost completely of concrete and metal. Not very warm or inviting, that's for sure. And then there is all the barking and crying emanating from the dark kennels in the back. At first, I was a little concerned about what I was getting myself into, but then I met the animal control officers.

There are so many sweet, loving, incredible animals at shelters just waiting to find a family. They are the reason I want to become a vet.

Never in my life have I met other people that are so passionate, kind, caring, and hardworking. They are truly amazing people that have one of the most difficult and under-appreciated jobs I can imagine. They are so misunderstood because they have to clean up the city's messes, and unfortunately, that sometimes means that they have to put animals to sleep. They don't enjoy it. It's the thing they hate most about their job (along with the irresponsible pet owners that are the reason behind euthanasia). That and the fact that no matter how hard they work, because of their low funding and false reputation, they never get to do as much for animals as they would like. It's so sad and so frustrating, and it is amazing to me that no matter how many times they are disappointed, they just keep fighting.

Fighting the urge to go adopt.... too many pets already... already lost this battle twice in the past few months... (don't be surprised if my next post is an introduction to a newly adopted pet...)

I'll write about some of my adventures at the shelter in future posts, but perspective is by far the most important thing I've gained from volunteering at the shelter, and it is something I will cherish throughout my career.