December 22, 2004
Shelter helpers devote time
Volunteers provide care for animals at humane society
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Amidst the cacophony of barking dogs Sunday morning, Jason Miller of Traverse City soldiered on: cleaning cages, providing a comforting word or pat, putting out fresh water and food.
Every Sunday for the past year, Miller can be found at the Cherryland Humane Society caring for the dogs there. He and Jason LaLone, a volunteer nearing the two-month mark, are determined to help these animals that have no one else.
"Most of them are not in there because they are a bad animal," noted Miller, who also helps out on holidays and with other chores around the facility, such as snow blowing or shoveling.
"I try to make them feel comfortable, they get lonely over the weekend, especially on Sundays," he continued. "We close up at four or five on Saturday and then they're in their kennels until 8 o'clock on Monday morning. So on Sundays I try to give them a little bit of extra attention."
Miller and LaLone are just part of the corps of volunteers who help the animals on a regular basis, said Cassandra Douglass, volunteer coordinator for the Cherryland Humane Society. The volunteers who help with animal care are crucial to the society as well as the well-being of the cats and dogs.
"I have volunteers who come and help us faithfully with events and rotating volunteers who come and help us on weekend and holidays," she said, noting her active roster includes 100 names. "The volunteers are people who have a sincere love and devotion to animals, they remember our animals here are in transition from where ever it is that they came, which may be from a home or they may have been lost."
Bari Dilworth of Elmwood Township has been helping with the cats since 2000. Thanks to an arrangement with her employer, every Thursday afternoon she spends three hours with the cats. She takes them one at a time into the interactive room to let them romp and play. The cats purr, run and jump around, soaking up Dilworth's affectionate petting.
Her time limited, Dilworth has a system to choose which cats she will play with. She usually spends 10-15 minutes with each cat and has a basket of toys to amuse them with.
"I concentrate on the older cats, the kittens are usually together and they are naturally playful," said Dilworth, who has four cats of her own at home. "Sometimes there is a little kitten all by itself, but they are usually people magnets. I also try to help out the cats that have been here a while."
Dilworth and her husband, Dave, also help out over the holidays. They have become the Thanksgiving Day regulars for the past few years and also plan to be there on Christmas Day this year.
"We come in and clean so these guys [the employees] can have a day off," she said.
An animal lover, Dilworth recalled that she was initially afraid of volunteering at the Cherryland Humane Society. She worried that it would be too emotional and difficult to see so many animals that needed homes.
"And I realized that it really makes you feel good, even if it's just one cat you help that day," she said.
Reflecting on the dedication that people like Miller, LaLone and Dilworth exhibit to the animals, Douglass heaps praise on all her volunteers for their commitment.
"I cannot speak highly enough of the volunteers we have her," she said. "What they do for us is not just feed, care for and water the animals; their gift to us is a gift of time and energy. Sometimes it is several hours every week."