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 Well if you happen to have read our “About Us” page, then you know that we’re all about celebrating those fellow warriors who are out their fighting the good fight each and every day by both Working and Playing HARD at something they have a passion for; and today we’re going to post about a collaborative project we’ve been working on along with Hope Armstrong, a Pittsburgh, PA (Lawrenceville) artist who is designing a limited edition t-shirt to be used as a fundraiser for the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Western Pennsylvania (East Liberty). When we approached Hope about working with us on this project, we originally wanted to do a limited edition Artists Collection piece which highlighted her passion for her artwork. Well, after speaking with Hope it was quite clear that she had a second passion and that was for the (ARL) and the work they do in order to help all the many animals that come across their path. 

It is our honor to work with Hope with this project, which highlights the Passion the employees at the (ARL) have for their work, and we are so lucky to have this limited edition t-shirt designed by Hope Armstrong, which will be available for sale on www.RockHardTreats.com for a three week period: February 13-March 5, 2012. A limited amount will also be for sale during the ARL’s World Spay Day fundraiser called the Bitches’ Ball (More info: http://www.animalrescue.org/events).

Hope was passionate enough to interview a number of employees in order to get a feel for their passion and dedication in how they are Working and Playing HARD in order to live the lives they CRAVE, and what follows are those interviews. We hope you’ll read and not only enjoy the articles, but feel inspired by these fellow warriors.

Mary Withrow

Volunteer

1. Are you passionate about rescuing and caring for animals? If so, why?  

I sure am.  I learned to be passionate from my mother, the first true animal lover I knew.  She let us take in any animals, we had birds, turtles, fish, cats, dogs, and at times some stray people too!  So at a very young age I learned by very good example how to love, respect, and care for animals.  It truly has become my passion, I love what I do, it can be very emotional at times, but there is so much work to do out there with regard to animal welfare I have to keep going and I will.

1. What is the most satisfying aspect of your job? Is there a specific memory that you can think of that made you proud of yourself and your coworkers?

It’s tough to say what is the MOST satisfying aspect of my job.  I am involved in so many facets of the shelter, from speaking to kids at schools about animal care to fundraising to working so hard to get a dog as adoptable as they can be!  I guess what is most satisfying to me is that I know that I am making a difference in the world of animals, and that feels great.  A specific memory definitely.  I am also an NDART with the Humane Society of the United States.  (National Disaster Animal Response Team) I was deployed to North Carolina to work on a dog fighting ring bust.  We rescued 51 Pit Bulls and our job was to socialize and rehab to help to get them to the point of adoptability.  It was a very emotional trip, and it was very difficult to leave. I came back to Pittsburgh but could not stop thinking about all of the dogs.  Then Hurricane Irene hit the area where they were and I just HAD to return.  All sorts of animals were coming in on the disaster mission while we were still working on the dog fighting case. So many animals, almost all of them homeless.  I called the ARL shelter manager and asked her if we could please help out and take some of the dogs and help to get them adopted.  She agreed to take 7, two hurricane orphans and 5 pit bulls which was awesome!  We drove from North Carolina to Pittsburgh all of us packed in a mini van, so many cages it was hard to see out the back.  As we got closer I called the shelter to make sure they were ready for our arrival.  After almost 11 hours in the car with 7 dogs and coming from an emotional journey, we pulled into the ARL.  There were two vet techs, and several volunteers awaiting our arrival along with our shelter manager.  I remember totally breaking down, seeing all of them ready to get to work for these dogs, the vet techs examining them, the volunteers helping to get cages ready and also comforting me as I was falling apart.  You definitely decompress upon return from a deployment.  I always think of that day, it was raining, I was carrying all of these precious, some abused by being forced to fight, and others left homeless animals due to a natural disaster.  I was never more proud of so many people at the shelter even when our kennel was so very crowded, they all were so willing to say yes to these dogs and give them the best care so much love and a second chance.  I felt such great pride in being involved with a shelter who really does get down in the trenches and try to make a difference.  They topped that by agreeing to take two more!

1. Does your professional life ever blend in with your personal life because of how passionate you are about what you do? For example, do you foster animals from the shelter, have you ever taken home a sick animal from work so that you could provide extra care, etc? In other words, have you ever gone “above and beyond” your job title or job description? 

Oh absolutely.  As a volunteer, I can be involved in so many ways.  I currently have a dog I am working with, he is the last of the fight ring bust dogs who arrived after all of the others, we go to doggy day care 2 days a week, to training one day, and to my house all of the other days.  He knew nothing more than a logging chain and a cage so EVERYTHING was new to him.  That’s very difficult, but we are working very hard and he is making great progress.  Slow and steady for these guys.  If my dogs could get along I would take him home forever.  I love to give the dogs cage breaks, a trip to the park, a visit to a friend’s house, they need it and it does a world of good for the psyche.  

1. Does your job give you a sense of community involvement? If so, how do you feel that you are benefiting the community or world at large?

It definitely does.  The ARL takes in every animal, the animal control stray dogs or police seizures, and many others from the neighborhoods surrounding the shelter which makes us very visible in the community.  I get calls ALL of the time asking adoption questions, animal care questons, training questions, I talk to Girl Scouts, Brownies, Daisies troops, and speak to school children.  I am trying to get the work out to spay/neuter, teach kids how to behave around a dog, how to care for a dog and respect them, and how they can make a difference.  I know there are millions of homeless animals out there and it seems so overwhelming, but I definitely make a difference for many of those dogs, every day.  I definitely have an “animal loving” reputation among my friends, neighbors and family.  

1. Is there anything else that you’d like to say? Feel free to elaborate if you wish.

I always feel some level of frustration from being misunderstood because we are an open door shelter and not a “no-kill.”  Who will take the dogs who have bitten a smile child if even to give them a humane euthanasia? or the sick dog whose owner cannot afford to keep them any longer? or the older dog whose owner has passed away? or the dog who has attacked another dog due to irresponsible ownership? or the turtle who was hit by a car and has a cracked shell? the bird who fell out of a nest?  I have been literally screamed at right in our own parking lot by people who tell me that “they love dogs, how can I kill them?”  ”I don’t know about you, but I love animals”  ”you really still euthanize animals?”  The answer at the ARL’s door is NEVER no.  Never.  Believe me, there are cases when it is the humane thing to do to put a dog to rest who is suffering, and unfortunately there are times when due to temperament, behavior or the way they were raised that they did something to hurt someone or something else and they are a danger to society.  We still give those animals love and respect and a humane euthanasia.  For those folks who yell at me because the ARL is not “no-kill” I invite them to take home dogs who bite children or I invite them to come and hold those same dogs with me and sob as they are put to sleep for something they did that was not their fault.   I would bet they don’t have the courage to do either one.  

Hope, thanks for letting me write about the things that I do, my passion, and my love of my passion for animals.  It felt good, and makes me feel proud of the ARL and all the people involved in truly making a difference in the world of homeless animals.  Thank you also for helping us to make that difference. 

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Levi Hahn

Administrative Assistant & Receptionist

1.                    I’m certainly passionate about saving animals and helping them to find the love and care they deserve.  While there is no one reason that can begin to describe this passion, I suppose it traces back to my childhood.  I grew up in rural Pennsylvania amongst forests and farmland.  As you might imagine, domestic farm animals and wildlife surrounded my habitat.  My family always kept pets, so I was educated about the proper care and love such animals need at a very young age.  Combining that with my personal desire to make a difference and work for a cause for which I care about deeply, the non-profit animal welfare sector was an obvious fit.  After beginning my work at the Animal Rescue League, my passion for saving animals has only intensified with the stories of abuse and neglect that I see every single day.  Each and every animal that I help to save strengthens my resolve, my heart, and my soul.

2.                    As I’m sure you’re aware, working in the animal welfare field can be satisfying and challenging at the same time.  One minute a dog that’s been here for months might be adopted, but the next second someone might walk in the door wanting to surrender ten kittens.  It’s a career filled with ups and downs.  There is no disputing the warm feeling that accompanies the adoption of any animal from our shelter, but given my job description, it’s not just adoption that warms my heart.

I am most satisfied when I’m able to convince someone not to surrender their pet in the first place.  There are many situations in which the Animal Rescue League helps animals remain in good homes, rather than being left at our shelter.  Perhaps a caregiver cannot afford routine medical care.  Or maybe the owner is between paychecks and needs help with food.  Whatever the case might be, if we can help to provide these necessities, I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.  There’s absolutely no greater sentiment than preventing an animal from experiencing those feelings of abandonment, fear, and hopelessness upon being surrendered.

Just yesterday a woman came to our shelter needing to surrender her miniature pinscher because of behavior problems.  I knew right away that her little guy would not do well in this environment because he displayed some aggression toward strangers.  His owner stated that she did not want to give him up, but she recently lost her job and simply could not afford training classes.  Seizing the opportunity, I informed the woman that we could provide training classes and that the ability to pay is never an issue if she wants to keep her dog.  I put her in contact with our behaviorist and about 30 minutes later, the woman and her dog walked out the door with both training classes and a neuter scheduled!  Of course, there are many more similar stories.  But these incidents give me more of a sense of satisfaction and pride than any other aspect of my job.

3.                    I knew when I started working in the animal welfare field that my job wasn’t going to be just an 8 hour day.  Often times you’ll find me participating in or organizing off-site events to benefit the Animal Rescue League and the animals for which we provide care.  I also spend a lot of time researching ideas relevant to our shelter and humane opinion.  My friends and family members know that I am committed to animal rescue and, after listening to my many thoughts and stories, some have even decided to become involved themselves.

Additionally, my own cat has a noteworthy story demonstrating my professional and personal mixture.  A few months after I started working at the ARL, a man entered our shelter lobby, threw a twelve day old kitten on my desk, and ran out the door.  I knew this little creature was special and I committed to fostering him until he was ready for adoption.  Over the course of the next few weeks, I bottle fed him and inevitably became attached.  I had to adopt him.  Two years later Alejandro is still with me and, despite his attitude problem, is my little boy.  In case you weren’t aware, this qualifies me as what we call a “foster failure” even though it’s really not a failure at all.

4.                    Working for the betterment of my community is a premise to which I strictly adhere.  The Animal Rescue League has been part of our region for over 100 years and stands as the second oldest area humane organization.  My belief is that animals, domestic and wild, are a part of our community.  We need to educate the public to live in harmony with, not against or in spite of, our animal neighbors.  And yes, that includes feral cats, pit bulls, and raccoons.  These “nuisance animals” are only problematic because of human irresponsibility.

Despite our species’ sometimes careless nature, those of us in the field are truly there for humans as well.  Part of our duty is to protect the public health and safety of humans in addition to animals.  We work to help control the spread of rabies and other diseases and help to stop the training of aggressive animals.

Given our “open door” policy, we also assist those who do love animals yet understand their inability to care for their pets any longer.  While we don’t want animals to seem disposable, we do provide a last resort for pet owners who have exhausted other alternatives.

Lastly, our non-profit status illustrates the fact that we operate solely because of donations from the public.  We don’t make money or receive government subsidies.  It fosters an organization supported by the public, for the public, and truly makes us a community based agency.

Erica Scotti

Vet Tech

Thanks for contacting me about this. I love speaking about what I do because in fact I do LOVE my job and have since I started working in open door shelters. I hope these answers are what you are looking for, if not feel free to ask me anything else you think would benefit this fundraiser.

1. I am extremely passionate about what I do. I have been working in open door shelters going on 8 years at this point and have loved almost every minute of it! One of the main reasons I came into working for open door shelters is the same (I would guess) about people who work in child care. Animals and children are some of the most innocent beings in this world. They depend upon us (mainly adults) to care for them. When animals are being neglected or abused they have no way of “telling” someone. Most of the time it is the concern of people walking by on the street that happen to catch a glimpse of the animal and they call the proper authorities to (hopefully) have the animal removed. That is where we come into play. Once the animals are in our care we provide them with any treatment they may need, the love they crave, a comfy place to stay and of course the nutrition that they need to become healthy and strong again. Caring for these animals gives me such a sense joy. You can tell that these animals are grateful that someone has shown them what love can be and it is a very full filling feeling. Whether it be caring for them or if in fact they are just too far gone to bring back and euthanizing is the only solution, they are relieved that the pain is over and that feeling of letting them get to that rainbow bridge is overwhelming. Knowing that I can help animals in either situation makes me feel wonderful about the work that I do here for them. 

2. Helping animals recover from some of the most horrific things you can imagine is what the most satisfying thing for me would be. My first shelter job was at the Western Pa Humane Society where they have Humane Officers, was where my eyes were opened to the cruel things that people are capable of. There are so many memories of helping these animals it is hard to pick just one (from the humane society or ARL). One day I get called to meet the officers around the back because of a very sick dog they had to come in. The dog was about 5 months old, he was a male pit bull mix who was covered, and I mean literally, in head to toe demodectic mange. There was not a single hair on this animals body, just raw, scabbed over skin that was bright red, inflamed and hot to the touch. He was not very social, but I could tell that he wanted to be by the way he would just lay his head in my lap. I took him under my wing (so to say) and walked/carried him down to our bathing area and tried (as gently as I could) to bath him in an oatmeal shampoo that would help ease his skin irritation. Every time I would touch him he would cringe but give me a kiss on face to show that even though it hurt him, he knew I was trying to help. Over the next two days I became attached to him and decided to take him to my home to recover from this terrible experience. While I had him in my home he quickly acclimated to being in a loving home. My two personal dogs (a pure bred Pit Bull named Jade, and a basset/shepherd mix named Kera) took him into their care as well and taught him how to be a dog. He learned to play and run around the yard with them, they would sleep together, became house trained in no time and learned my essential commands of sit, stay and down. He stayed with me for a total of 9 months to recover physically and emotionally from this mess. When I heart breakingly, took him back to the shelter so he could find his forever home a wonderful older couple had come in to look at him. They had a middle aged boxer and when the two dogs met it was a sealed deal. They all fell in love with him and took him home that day where he is still, almost 5 years later!

3. Always! Some of the most severe cases, either medically or socially, I have taken in to rehabilitate. My own Pit, mentioned above as Jade, was one of those situations as well. While she didn’t come from any shelter she was still in a terrible situation and when I was contacted about her, I acted quickly. At the time she was 2 years old living with people who would routinely abuse her. The first time I saw her she was emaciated at 37 pounds, had multiple stab wounds and the people she lived with also tried to cut her eyes out. Just horrific. When I went to the home to asses her situation she came bounding after me and went belly up at me feet for a rub. I was instantly in love with her and thought (even being the mess she was) how beautiful she was. She took about 10 months to recover her weight and to repair her wounds. It took almost three years for her to recover emotionally. If there was a loud bang she would cower behind furniture, if she saw someone with a hat she would bark offensively, walking was also difficult since the smallest noise would scare her. She has just turned 9 years old on December 3. She is a healthy 68 pounds with none of her old scars remaining (physically or emotionally). We go to schools and talk about how wonderful Pitts are and the misconceptions people have about them. One of the most rewarding things is at the end of discussions when the kids come up and greet her. I believe her personal heaven is reached here with dozens of hands on her giving her the love she deserves. There are so many cases that I can give as examples it is hard to pick just one. Like I said previously, if you need more just let me know!

4. It surely does! We provide a low cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinic here at the ARL. This benefits the community by allowing people who cannot afford private clinic visits the chance to have their animals fully inoculated (vaccinated) or altered (spay/neuter). We also try to provide low cost medical care to them as well. Whether it be by not charging for a toe nail trim, to using Giant Eagles free prescription list to get the animals medicine for no cost to the owner! I feel this is a wonderful thing for the ARL to do since we are a non-profit organization and run completely off of community donations. We also serve our community by having our lost and found department reuniting animals with their owners if they are lost or come off of the animal control trucks since we also have the City of Pittsburgh’s, Animal Control contract. Meaning that any animals they pick up are brought to the ARL. Educating the public is also a service that brings us closer to the community, either by speaking about the importance of spay/neuter/vaccines/disease prevention to educating people on certain breeds (i.e Pitt Bulls). We also offer behavior training classes as well.

5. There is so much that I could say about the work we all do here at the ARL. I am fortunate work with these wonderful people (staff and volunteers) to make these animals safe and healthy, ultimately leading to their forever homes. It is an indescribable feeling, even overwhelming. I used to work in a private clinic where most days the appointments were yearly check ups. While I was grateful that these pet owners where taking great care of their animals I felt that I was not helping the ones that needed my help. When I left there to go into open door shelter work I felt at home. I knew this was the thing that I was supposed to do in my life and I would never even think about changing that! The rewards are so much greater there are not words to put them in. Working with these animals that need it, that have never had proper care or love, these are the reasons that I do this work, to show them that not all people are like the owners that previously had them, that there is love and compassion in the world and I want to be the person that brings it to them.

Thank you so much for asking me these questions! I love speaking about what I do because I am truly at home in the shelter world and cannot express how much I truly love doing this work.

Hope everyones New Year is going to be as exciting as what we’re looking forward to here @ Rock Hard treats. We’ve got some really cool things in the works for 2012, such as Cravin with Tony in which our model Tony Ruffin goes out into the field and interviews fellow cravers who are out there both Working and Playing HARD in order to live the lives they CRAVE. Some new and cool Brand Videos are in the works and a whole bunch of really cool new designs for everyone to enjoy. So again, Happy New Year