Caitlin Davis: Volunteer Spotlight
“I have volunteered with Furry Friends for a little over three years,” Caitlin says.
“When my beloved cat of 18 years Licorice passed away, it was a dark time for me. I was also suffering from some health issues, and to help cheer me up, I would often visit pet stores to look at the cats. One day when I was doing just that, I suddenly realized that I wanted to work with cats. I’ve loved them my entire life, and yet it had never occurred to me to work with them. After doing some research, I found Furry Friends, and the rest is history!
“I spend two hours every Saturday as a night shift lead. I oversee my team’s tasks, do laundry and generally clean up throughout the shift. I also dispense all of the wet food to the cats and administer their medications. My favorite part about volunteering is seeing cats who come into the shelter in terrible shape regain their health. It’s so rewarding to watch their fur grow back and their injuries heal. Not to mention regaining some much-needed weight and learning to trust us. It’s even more rewarding when they get adopted into their loving forever homes.
“My biggest challenge is not being able to adopt more cats in need, because I have four cats of my own: Delaney, 16, Lila, 5, Maeve, 3 and Evie, 2. I tend to fall in love with certain cats and wish I could take them home and spoil them, but my house is too full for now!
“My proudest moment as a volunteer was uniting my best friend with her new best furry friend. She had been looking for a new kitten companion after her kitty passed away, and I was able to find the perfect little girl kitten for her to adopt. The reason I give back is to help the kitties, of course. I am, and always have been, so in love with animals and want to do whatever I can to help them. I always have a little bin full of cat food, water and dishes in my car trunk so that I can feed any stray cats I find.
“I currently work at a doggy daycare, and I love it! Although I’m a cat girl at heart, I also love dogs. As for the local issue I’m most passionate about: I believe there should be more low-cost options for pet owners to help spay and neuter their animals.
“And as for my own passions: I love baking and cooking. I fill baking orders from time to time as well as donate baked goods to the Furry Friends auction every year. I also love crystals and rocks, and enjoy rock hounding on the Oregon Coast. And last but not least, I have my own little online crystal company called ‘Wicked Moon Crystals.’”
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Furry Friends Volunteer Spotlights are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.
