[vc_gallery type=”nivo” interval=”0″ images=”273451,273452,273468,273469,273471,273474″ onclick=”link_image” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”medium”]Every week, the Humane Society core group of Rock Bridge Reaches Out, a diverse student volunteer organization, heads to the Central Missouri Humane Society to interact with animals and show them some love. Senior Alex Carranza, the student leader of the core, has been volunteering at the Humane Society since his sophomore year, a decision that originated from his deep love of animals.
“I got interested in the humane society when I first adopted my dog Vivienne,” Carranza said. I mainly volunteered at the humane society because dogs, cats and other animals were always comfortable for me. It was always my goal to find them a home and that’s why I started getting involved mainly.”
Central MO Humane Society Community Educator Brooke Turk said the work volunteers do at the humane society is very helpful to the shelter’s day-to-day operations. The volunteer program has greatly changed since its start, Turk said, with volunteers now taking a more active role.
“Previously, it was just petting dogs and cats,” Turk said. “Now, we’re trying to have our volunteers more involved in our day-to-day, because we are so proud of what we do on a day-to-day basis as far as the enrichment for the animals and also the adoptions that we do and any events that we do. Usually, our volunteers, whenever they come in, do get to take part in the adoptions and they do get to take part in the intake process.
The Central Missouri Humane Society currently houses over 200 animals, ranging from kittens to chinchillas. All are waiting to go home to welcoming families and have the same happily ever after that junior Catherine Maring’s dog found with the Maring family.
“I currently have a dog named Sebastian that I got from the Humane Society,” Maring said. “We got him when he was three weeks old and we’ve had him for four years now. He’s the best dog we could have had; he’s the perfect fit for our family.”[TS-VCSC-Content-Flip flip_style=”style1″ flip_effect_style1=”horizontal” flip_effect_style2=”ts-flip-right” flip_effect_speed=”medium” flip_size_auto=”true” flip_size=”200″ front_title=”Alex Carranza, Senior” front_html=”false” back_html=”false” back_content=”“It’s so important to help out with the humane society because there are so many homeless animals who deserve happiness and freedom from their cages. Going to the humane society teaches you how hard some animals have it and that there are so many stray animals around our city. Just volunteering gives these animals a little light in their lives because all they want is some happiness and love.”
” read_more_link=”false” read_more_txt=”Read More” read_more_target=”_parent” front_icon_replace=”true” front_image=”273434″ front_image_full=”false” front_icon_size=”330″ flip_border_thick=”1″ front_icon_frame_thick=”1″ front_padding=”false” front_icon_padding=”0″ front_icon_color=”#cccccc” front_icon_frame_color=”#000000″ front_color=”#000000″ front_color_title=”#000000″ front_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_front=”#dddddd” back_color=”#000000″ back_color_title=”#000000″ back_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_back=”#dddddd” read_more_color=”#000000″ read_more_background=”#dddddd” animations=”false” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″][TS-VCSC-Content-Flip flip_style=”style1″ flip_effect_style1=”horizontal” flip_effect_style2=”ts-flip-right” flip_effect_speed=”medium” flip_size_auto=”true” flip_size=”200″ front_title=”Catherine Maring, Junior” front_html=”false” back_html=”false” back_content=”“We’ve always adopted from the humane society, whether it’s my dog or the cat I used to have. We understand that there are a lot of homeless animals that are on the streets and the Humane Society is able to take some of those in and vaccinate them and neuter or spay them if necessary. Some of them haven’t been in good homes or situations before and we’re able to give them a good home.”
” read_more_link=”false” read_more_txt=”Read More” read_more_target=”_parent” front_icon_replace=”true” front_image=”273628″ front_image_full=”false” front_icon_size=”330″ flip_border_thick=”1″ front_icon_frame_thick=”1″ front_padding=”false” front_icon_padding=”0″ front_icon_color=”#cccccc” front_icon_frame_color=”#000000″ front_color=”#000000″ front_color_title=”#000000″ front_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_front=”#dddddd” back_color=”#000000″ back_color_title=”#000000″ back_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_back=”#dddddd” read_more_color=”#000000″ read_more_background=”#dddddd” animations=”false” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″][TS-VCSC-Content-Flip flip_style=”style1″ flip_effect_style1=”horizontal” flip_effect_style2=”ts-flip-right” flip_effect_speed=”medium” flip_size_auto=”true” flip_size=”200″ front_title=”Abby Decker, Junior” front_html=”false” back_html=”false” back_content=”“I like working with the animals because if you have had a bad day they can cheer you up. Dogs … are always happy to see you even if they don’t know you and it’s fun playing fetch with them…. It’s important to help out at the Humane Society because the animals are locked up in those cages all day and they just need someone to come and get them out and play with them.”” read_more_link=”false” read_more_txt=”Read More” read_more_target=”_parent” front_icon_replace=”true” front_image=”273637″ front_image_full=”false” front_icon_size=”330″ flip_border_thick=”1″ front_icon_frame_thick=”1″ front_padding=”false” front_icon_padding=”0″ front_icon_color=”#cccccc” front_icon_frame_color=”#000000″ front_color=”#000000″ front_color_title=”#000000″ front_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_front=”#dddddd” back_color=”#000000″ back_color_title=”#000000″ back_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_back=”#dddddd” read_more_color=”#000000″ read_more_background=”#dddddd” animations=”false” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″][TS-VCSC-Content-Flip flip_style=”style1″ flip_effect_style1=”horizontal” flip_effect_style2=”ts-flip-right” flip_effect_speed=”medium” flip_size_auto=”true” flip_size=”200″ front_title=”Anna Slade, Freshman” front_html=”false” back_html=”false” read_more_link=”false” read_more_txt=”Read More” read_more_target=”_parent” front_icon_replace=”true” front_image=”273629″ front_image_full=”false” front_icon_size=”330″ flip_border_thick=”1″ front_icon_frame_thick=”1″ front_padding=”false” front_icon_padding=”0″ front_icon_color=”#cccccc” front_icon_frame_color=”#000000″ front_color=”#000000″ front_color_title=”#000000″ front_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_front=”#dddddd” back_color=”#000000″ back_color_title=”#000000″ back_background=”#ffffff” flip_border_color_back=”#dddddd” read_more_color=”#000000″ read_more_background=”#dddddd” animations=”false” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ back_content=”“We have adopted two cats. It’s good because you can get them out of the Humane Society and they have pretty good conditions there, but they aren’t the best conditions for an animal to stay in the rest of their lives.””] By Jenna Liu and Nicole Schroeder
Photos by Caylea Erickson