Shelter Care

1. Please explain how you are spending your mentorship time (Is it at a workplace or somewhere else?  Are you shadowing?  Are you able to do tasks that are meaningfully related to the topic?  If so, what?  Are there other people who are experts in the location?  Etc...)

I am spending my mentorship at the Priceless Pets No-Kill Orphanage in Claremont with Jennifer King as my mentor. There, I am able to walk, pet, and play with dogs and also sometimes cats. Being a volunteer for Priceless Pets is really hands on and it's been a great experience to actually be with animals and see them get adopted. There are many local shelters, but there is another Priceless Pets in Chino.

2.  How did you find your mentor?  How did you convince this person to help you? 

I actually found my mentor from a previous senior from last year. I went to her presentation and she sighted where she did her independent component hours and I thought volunteering at a no-kill shelter would be perfect for me. No-kill non profit shelters really need dedicated and consistent volunteers and Jennifer already mentored before so she was familiar to this project.

 I really do feel pretty comfortable with my mentor because she's very easy to talk to and is so passionate about the animals, but I just wish I could go more often like the other volunteers. I try to go sometimes on Tuesdays and on the weekends when I can, but I usually go on Thursdays Most of the other volunteers either work or go there every day because their school is so much closer and has a program with Priceless Pets.

I felt like the interview was really casual and natural. It wasn't really a planned set of questions because I usually like conversational interviews so maybe having a more planned guideline would help me have a longer interview. I know because there was a pause of me trying to think of another question so I'll have more planning ahead for next time.

I do have a mentor and I haven't been able to contact her for the interview but I am hoping to do the interview tomorrow or sometime next week.

I'm really interested in the behaviors and training of the shelter dogs currently. It's probably something I could really go in depth for during the senior presentation because being able to read and train dogs is very important in order for the dog to be adopted.

Maybe if I actually get to talk to a trainer would help me with hands on experience, but also books could help as well. I'm sure.

What are the best qualities in order for a dog to be adopted from a shelter and what steps are needed in order to achieve that?

I plan to have my Independent Component on more mentorship hours. I will continue to learn and volunteer for Priceless Pets. I'll continue walking, bathing, cleaning, and organizing. 

 I will extend my mentorship hours log to my Independent Components. There is also an hours log at the orphanage.

Since I don't own or take care of any animals, the Orphanage gives me the perfect opportunity to develop and grow my relationship to dog care.

K.