We thought you should know just what a typical day is like at MCCA and why we so desperately need
volunteers to help us in our efforts to save homeless companion animals.
The day starts at 6:00am with feeding of all 65 animals currently at MCCA by two kennel personnel.
This is followed by letting each dog out for exercise while the dog run is completely cleaned and
disinfected. The cat rooms are cleaned and all the litter boxes emptied and disinfected. At 7:30am Joan,
the kennel director, dispenses needed medications as well as examining each and every animal for
potential medical problems.
The dogs are let out for exercise two more times during the day and runs are spot cleaned. Litter boxes
and the cat self feeders are filled. The dog run self waterers are cleaned and inspected.
That is just the general care of the shelter and its inhabitants; there is still a lot more work to be done.
The lawn needs to be mowed, the waste needs to be picked up, the animals’ need baths, nails need to
be clipped, stitches removed, painting and building maintenance, and veterinary visits made. The list
goes on.
The shelter is open to the public from 10:00am to 4:00pm for tours and adoptions. A few volunteers
arrive in the morning for training and grooming the animals or other duties that Joan finds necessary.
Written correspondence is performed. Telephone calls and E-mails are received throughout the day
from people requesting more information on the animals we have for adoption. Interviews of potential
adopters are done by phone or in person. Calls must be made to new adopters to ensure the new pet is
adapting to its new family.
Unfortunately the calls we receive the most are from people wishing to relinquish their animals or from
people who have found an animal that has been abandoned. Typical calls in a day include:
- • 2 year old lab mix, no shots, not fixed, overly protective, owner relinquish.
- • Owner is entering assisted living and cannot keep cat. No one in the family will take it. Owner
relinquish. - • Abandoned dog found with 2 puppies, weak, skinny, dirty, ticks and fleas.
- • Found 9 dumped puppies, 8 weeks old.
- • Chocolate lab and beagle dumped by a farm, both injured one with broken leg.
- • Warrenton Animal Control with a dog about to be killed because his 15 days is up. Lab mix, very
friendly and sweet.
another animal we call other rescue groups to see if they have space, we call breed specific rescue
groups to see if they have space, and we beg the people to please try to foster the animal until we have
space. They come in way too fast and, unless it’s a puppy, leave way too slow.
There is never an official ending to the day or day off at the shelter. The animals must be taken care of
daily and not everyone can meet us during regular business hours.
We’re hoping you’re asking yourself, “Just what can I do to help?” You can help by volunteering at
MCCA. We have only a few dedicated volunteers and we need more. A lot of people have said to me
that they would like to volunteer but they are afraid that it will be too sad for them or that they will end up
bringing home another animal. I can honestly say that IT IS NOT SAD. It is a JOY to work with the
animals and the joy they have when they see a familiar face is inspiring. And you won’t bring home
another animal because not every animal is the right animal for you, but every animal at MCCA would be
grateful for your attention and care.
Some of your help can be things you do from home, on your phone or computer. You could help
transporting animals for veterinary visits. We need more volunteers for our PetsMart adoption days and
we need people with fund raising experience. There are so many things, and maybe some we haven’t
thought of, that you could help us with.
Someone once said,”You cannot change the world by helping one animal, but you can certainly change
the world for that one animal.” And that alone makes it all worth the effort.
Click here for a VOLUNTEER APPLICATION
Please send the application to MCCA, 100 Massas Creek Road, Hermann, MO 65041
| Massas Creek Companion Animals Hermann, Missouri E-Mail: info@mccompanionanimals.com |
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