JW: Whats different about rescuers? What makes them get out there?
RG: I think one common thread is that we all seem to be the misfits of the world and I mean that in a good way. I’m glad I’m not quote, unquote normal. Everybody seems to have a lot of compassion behind them and everybody seems to have had maybe a tough childhood or early adulthood. I think they get out of it what I get out it, that feeling of self-worth by helping something that’s not capable of helping or speaking for themselves. It draws an eclectic group of people. It really does. I don’t want to say anti-social people but maybe a little bit.
JW: What about that little bit?
RG: This is about a dog website, correct? I hear all the time from volunteers how they don’t really care for people too much so I think its a lot of people who don’t care for people too much.
You ask good questions. You ask different questions than I normally get. I usually have stock answers but for you I don’t. You’re really good. You pick up on the things I don’t really think about. Then you make me be honest here when I say a lot of us don’t really like people. We have over two hundred.
JW: I wont ask you how difficult that’s got to be.
RG: Its always hard because they’re volunteers so its not like you can say, oh, you did that wrong or something. You have to always be appreciative of their help.
JW: Well, since a lot of the readers are volunteers themselves what would you say to them about how to volunteer and whats the best way for them?
RG: There are so many different volunteer opportunities at all shelters, but the one key thing is find an organization you feel comfortable volunteering for. If its a kill shelter, make sure you’re comfortable with the fact that dog or cat may not be there the next day. If you’re okay with that, and it takes a special person to be okay with that and God knows they need the help, then I would say volunteer with a kill shelter. If its something that you cant get past, then volunteer for a no-kill shelter. But it can be, we have volunteers who do a little bit of everything. If you don’t like to be involved with the animals because it is too sad, help with the fundraising efforts. I mean, none of this is cheap. Help out, we have someone who comes in and organizes and cleans the office for us. There’s a lot of little things people can do. And the one thing we have so many volunteers for is petting on the dogs. This guy here, Mambo, was just rescued yesterday. I’m just hanging out with him so he knows that people are cool.
Come back tomorrow for the last installation in the Randy Grim interview!
