Serafina's Corner of the World

Today I got to rub bitter apple stuff on a cat's nipples to stop her condo mate from sucking on them. I, personally, think that Marigold was being a little bit indulgent, because she was purring an kneading while Poppy "nursed" (I think I've got them straight; I might have their names mixed up), but apparently, it had to be done.

I took a friend to the SPCA today to play with the dogs. I felt bad, because all the dogs, even then ones I hadn't technically met, paid more attention to me. We still had fun, though.

I felt really guilty, though, because the first dog we visited was Honey, whom I didn't get in to see last week. She perked up when she saw me and crawled onto my lap and didn't want me to go. I need to make more of an effort to visit her. She's a dog from a hoarding case and those dogs tend to be more sensitive. I made sure she had lots of cuddly toys before I left (some moron only gave her and the other dog balls. Neither dog plays fetch. They need cuddly toys. People.)

I'm watching an old episode of Seinfield and Michelle Forbes is on it. How has she not aged in 20 years?

No one was there walking the dogs again! It was my cat day, but I swung by to say hi to a dog whose puppy got adopted earlier this week, and I saw all the little dogs in their condos with pee (and some poo) on the floor. So first I went into all the rooms to clean up, and then I started walking as many as I could before the place opened.

Then, it suddenly dawned on me that since the pace was bereft of volunteers (there were a few around, but the were what the Cat Lady [the lady who does cats and is the resident experts] calls "DDSes" [don't so shit]) that the Take the Lead dogs probably hadn't been taken for a walk. The Take the Lead dogs are dogs in a program for at-risk kids; the kids get to train them or something for a few weeks to learn how to take care of something. They're kept in a separate barn that I've never been in to. So, after the shelter opened, I ran and got the key to the barn and went in.

Those poor dogs. There's not even a window or anything for them to look out of. And the can't see each other. There were six in all, and I started walking.

Now, the things is, dogs love me. Like, LOVE-love me. I've had strange dogs run to me, pulling their owners, etc. So far, the dogs at the SPCA have been pretty... okay. They love me, they'll push me down to sit on me, but it hasn't been overwhelming.

I must have smelled like raw meat today. Every dog was all over me. One stuck its tongue in my ear. Another got one in my mouth. One dog didn't even want to walk, just wanted to lay on me and give me hugs. I've been home for four hours, have showered, changed clothes, etc., and I still smell dog.

So, I walked the Take the Lead dogs then went back to the shelter to eat, because i was crashing. And, guess what? Pee in almost all the rooms. What gets me is not that the dogs peed (of course), or that some of them weren't getting out (because once customers come, they get to take out dogs they want to play with), but that the other volunteers weren't cleaning.

Then there was the usual stuff, like some guy letting his nine year old into a room alone (they're supposed to be over 16) and dishes not being done and etc.

Oh, and bunch of dogs didn't have enough toys. There was a 3 month old who was chewing on another dog, so I got toys in. Then a couple dogs from a hoarding case were huddled together looking miserable, so I got some toys for them. That perked them up. Of course, one of them started taking all the toys and not letting the other play with them, no matter how many I brought in. But, they were playing.

First volunteer shift at the SPCA, first dog I'm walking, and I pull a muscle in my leg or get a cramp. Because fuck my life.

The dog was adorable, though, and if I could, I would have taken him home. (I"ll probably be saying that a lot).