Last month, Dave and I went down to Kanab with our friends, (Neil and Karen) to volunteer at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary for a couple of days. Here are some of the photos of our trip:
Here's the entrance. The scenery around the sanctuary is spectacular!! If your ever looking for some worthwhile volunteer work. Go to the website, sign up, then go down for the weekend. You will come away amazed at the wonderful work this organization does!! We arrived on Friday around noon and took a short 1 hour orientation. Then received our name tags and volunteer package. We were assigned our Saturday and Sunday work areas.
Saturday morning from 8:15 - 11:30 were were assigned the Bunnies. There are currently around 450 of these little guys in all sizes and colors. The most adorable things. They try to adopt them in pairs, as bunnies do much better with a mate than solo. Did you know that bunnies mate for life and if their mate dies the bunny will go into depression, get very sick and sometimes die from respiratory problems that they get when depressed. They don't take to a new mate very well either. There were a couple of bunnies with stuffed animals to help them adjust to solo life. It is so sad. We spent the morning cleaning cages, giving them fresh straw, clean bedding, taking soiled bedding to the laundry room, giving them new toys to play with and socializing with bunnies, (so they are adoptable). I was ready to take about a dozen home.
The bunny area also houses guinea pigs and hamsters. They have about a couple dozen of each available. As you can see, Dave made a new friend. This little guy just snuggled up into Dave and cuddled, then started cooing.
This brother seemed to like me. We moved these guys outside for some fresh air and sunshine and outdoor exercise in their larger pens. By lunchtime, we were ready for a break. There is a cafe' on site, and it's a buffet for $5.00. A very good deal - it's all vegetarian, but the food was very good and we were stuffed. The view overlooks a canyon that is spectacular, and I so wish I had taken a picture. Everyday a bluebird would fly over at exactly noon, land on the outside patio for a few minutes. But by the time I could get up to take a photo, he would be gone, (darn it).
Saturday afternoon, from 1:15 - 4:30 were were assigned the cat area. This was great. First I washed a few cat dishes, while Dave swept the cat patio, (as you can imagine, there is red dust everywhere - but they keep everything everywhere very clean). Next we folded some towels, and cat blankets, (every building has it's own laundry facility - and they are in need in some buildings of new washers and dryers. I wish I had a contact that I could work to get them a couple of new or even used washers and dryers to replace their older units). Dave and I swept the floors, then we were assigned to socialize with the cats, (so they are very adoptable, all animals get human socialization everyday so that they are ready for adoption at the "Pet Super Adoption" fairs that are held several times a year by PetCo and the "Strut Your Mutt" walk a thons.) Here I found a new friend who didn't want to leave. He crawled up into my arms and sang me such sweet songs. I was ready to load up the car and take a couple dozen home. But I don't think Callie would have liked that!!
This little lady sure keep an eye on Dave. She had a sassy look, but she was the sweetest little thing. She just purred and purred.
This little lady also like Dave. It think it's because his body heat is so high. That's why all the animals cuddle with him.
As were were headed back to the condo that evening, we almost ran over a small herd of deer. They are very people friendly, stay next to the road and don't mind their photo being taken.
They just eat and move around so freely. They know they are well protected from harm here.
Back at the condo the sky was a little overcast as evening came on....
But OH THE SUNSET!!! It was gorgeous!
On Sunday morning, once again a large buck by the side of the road having his breakfast and not minding us at all.
Our Sunday morning shift 8:15 - 11:30 was at the Parrot Gardens and Wild Friends. We didn't get any photos inside and how I wish we had!! The macaws are spectacular and there is every kind of parrot you can imagine, (cockatiels, cockatoos, peach face, etc.). The sanctuary was originally started because of the need to rehabilitate eagles, and other wild birds or to rescue them from situations that were endangering to their life. Best Friends is one of only a couple in the United States that is authorized to perform the work with the wild birds. They have a complete separate area set aside to rehabilitate and release back into the wild birds that are brought to them. Unfortunately they also have a lot of birds that must live the rest of their life here because they can never be rehabilitated or they are too humanized or to injured to be returned to the wild, (or adopted out for those caged birds). So sad. We cleaned bird cages and houses, feed nuts to the birds, and talked to the talking parrots. We were able to get a private tour from Virginia, (she's been with Best Friends for 27 years, and she showed up all around the Wild Friends area and told us the stories behind the animals that were in their care. One tour of the facility and you walk away with a whole new appreciation for wildlife.
Dave noticed that his Thanksgiving dinner was wondering around the grounds. But no one on the grounds thought is was a funny joke. Most everyone who works full time is a vegetarian.
We didn't get any photos of our time at dog town. Bur believe me when I tell you - they have a ton of dogs that need homes!! Any color, any size, any breed, anything you want in a dog - they got it!!
On our way out Sunday - yup old Bucky was still out by the road. He also had his does close by.
Best Friends have people from all over the United States that come to volunteer and one lady comes each year from Taiwan to work for a week, and yet they are still in desperate need of help, especially during the months of November through March. They are also in need of towels, blankets, throws, animals toys, and cash. But mostly your time. Anyone over the age of 12, (with a parent), can volunteer to work. And they have work that anyone can perform.
I learned to much just in the 2 days that I spent here.
GREAT ORGANIZATION, DOING GREAT THINGS
What an awesome place! Too bad you couldn't leave Dave to get his vaccines...
ReplyDelete