Volunteer Orientation at HCHS

Stacy, I'm so glad to hear it was a positive experience. Wouldn't it be great if all us Indypaws people donated 4 hours a month volunteering? Think how much we could accomplish!

Kris, that is a GREAT idea! We could go in teams of 2 or 3 and spend time with our IP friends doing something worthwhile. Gee, do you think this might be a model for shelters in Marion County???? Do the workers as HCHS have a union? I know that IACC has a much bigger volume and has some other issues that a smaller county has to deal with, but I think it starts with the administration and I am hopeful that things will start turning around for IACC. Thanks for the update!

I like their website too. They have great pictures and really give you a feel of what they're like. Shows you what having the right Director can do.

Yeah, that place is great. The times I've been there, it has been super clean and the people are nice. There were crates in the lobby when we went, about five or six. Quite a few dogs were adopted the last time we went. I just filled out a volunteer application for Greenfield Animal Management, (where I took the baby kitty our neighbor brought to us) just to clean the kennels, feed and water and maybe walk some dogs. I told the lady I mainly wanted to clean kennels and such. I have a cast iron stomach and almost nothing bothers me. When I worked at the vet I was a receptionist and they always had me go back and clean up the real nasty messes cause they knew it didn't bother me.

Anyway, I think that is a great idea, Kris! We are still working with one car so I would need to figure out our schedule.

Stacy...this is great information. I wish Hendricks County was like this.
On another note...we just got back from camping at Turkey Run State Park. I met some wonderful people who adopted their dog from a shelter. In fact most of the dogs there came from shelters so I really feel that the word is getting out about adopting. There were folks from Texas, California, Ohio and all over Indiana.

I'd love to go with IP friends and help out. They really are sweet people up there and the Ex. Dir. is as crazy as we are! I've talked to her a couple of times and she really loves all of the furbabies up there.

She said they need the most help from 8:00 to 12:00. That's when they clean and get ready for the public. I'm thinking of taking a Saturday or Sunday shift at those times. It will probably be every other week or once a month to start with. I'd be happy to have some IP friends up there to talk to and clean poo with! :)

I also think Dachsoholic should become the director of HSI, and we could all team up and help her out!

YES! YESSS!!

I love hearing all the positve info regarding HCHS, the Exec. Director, Rebecca is great! We have adopted 3 pit bulls from there in the last year and without Rebecca guiding us we would have made some poor choices. She understands the dogs and their temperament and their compatibility so well. I live in Hancock county and make regular visits and donations to HCHS because of the people there, the cleanliness, the caring and compassion and the director. All shelters directors should visit HSHC and see how to do it right.

Saturday or Sunday would be great for me. I'm all for Dachsoholic as Director of HSI too.

Before you can volunteer, you have to go through the orientation. They have a schedule on their site. I think the orientations are once a month. Then, there are training sessions you go through depending on what you want to do. I have yet to do the training session. I believe they're Tuesday and Thursday of next week, so I may be up there next Saturday or Sunday if I don't have anything planned. I'm not sure if any of you are volunteers at HCHS already. If not, you may as well sign up and we can all hang out and clean poo together! :)

I filled out the volunteer application online and got the orientation schedule too. The next orientation is August 21st.