The volunteers of the shelter start the day by feeding all the animals. The animals really look forward to this!
Next, all the areas where the dogs and cats were housed overnight must be cleaned. This is not always pleasant work but the volunteers don’t mind. The animals need a clean house – just as we do! Before cleaning, we check if the excrement looks healthy – this is the easiest way to tell if a dog or cat feels well or not.
After cleaning, we spend time checking the animals to see if they have ticks that need to be removed or any wounds that needs to be treated. Some days, a new dog or cat is admitted into the shelter. When this happens, we bathe the animal, remove any ticks or fleas, and deworm them. Many of the animals have never been given such loving attention and fall asleep cuddled in a towel.
When the vet next door has time for us, we will take these new arrivals to the vet next door for a checkup, along with any other animals already in the shelter that need treatment. Each animal had their own health card where their entire medical history is recorded. Back in the shelter, the volunteers make sure to administer pills or creams prescribed by the vet. Some volunteers are even trained to give subcutaneous injections so that the treatments are continued during the weekends when the vet is unavailable.
Of course, the shelter volunteers also welcome and assist visitors to the shelter. Volunteers ensure that potential adopters understand what it means to be a responsible pet owner and that they are indeed ready to welcome a new pet into their home. This is a very important part of the adoption process, as we want to ensure a safe and happy life for all our animals.
Finally, perhaps the best part of the day is the time spent playing with the animals. Due to the enormity of the daily tasks, little time remains for play; however, every second is precious in making our animals feel loved.
Visitors at The Aruba Animal Shelter
2023
2015
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Employees From Ling Supermarket
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2023
