Post 5: We Are Their Voice

Hi all,
Unfortunately, I was driving home from Virginia yesterday, so I didn't get to volunteer at Brother Wolf, although I did see something in the mall.

While I was recovering from the panic attack I had while getting my ears pierced, my cousins saw a stand that was selling baby sugar bears. Sugar bears are little marsupials that look like baby squirrels that live in trees. They can grow to be about 6 inches long and weigh approximately 4-6 ounces. Sugar bears have skin in between their ankles and wrists, and when spread, they can float on the air and jump from tree to tree.

What angered me was that the poor sugar bears looked barely old enough to be out of their mothers' pouches, and they were being sold as "pocket pets". Being marsupials, if you have a pocket in your shirt, they would snuggle down in and feel more at home with the sound of your heart. Even so, they are being captured from their native rain forest and being sold as pets. Sugar bears only have 2 babies a year, and those offspring are being taken and sold.

These cute creatures may woo you, but ALWAYS look deeper. Think into it before you buy one, because what people tell you may just be the tip of the iceberg.

Madi Moser

Post 4: We Are Their Voice

I volunteered yesterday and I met Denise, my mentor for the first time. I mostly helped socialize the puppies. Basically, I just went around into the puppies cages and played with them. Only after it was too late did I realize that I would need to wear jeans and a heavy long-sleeve shirt; I got a jagged scrape that just barely broke the skin, scratches all up and down both my arms and legs AND back. Puppies have really sharp claws!

One thing that really pleased me was that as I was walking around filling water bowls, I heard Denise say to one of her employees that one of the dogs had been adopted. Also, there was a sign on a puppies door that one had been adopted on the 15th. The dogs were adorable, so it wouldn't be hard to say no.

Madi Moser

Post 3: We Are Their Voice

Hi all! Unfortunately, I couldn't volunteer yesterday because my parents couldn't get off of work in time. As anxious and upset as I was to not be able to go, it all worked out fine. Sorry I don't have more to blog about!

Madi Moser

Post 2: We Are Their Voice

I volunteered for the first time this past Monday at Brother Wolf! I cannot believe the number of animals that were at the shelter! I'm only working with dogs, but I saw a lot of cats, too. All of the dogs had different stories, and a lot of them were really sad.

Ozzie: Ozzy is a 3 years old lab mix. After being adopted by a nice family, the owners then decided that they weren't ready to care for a dog. The owners then dumped poor Ozzy at a shelter in Charlotte, NC. Because Brother Wolf microchips all of their animals, the shelter traced Ozzy back to them. Ozzy is very "depressed" and spends most of his time lying on his bed.

Of all the dogs, Ozzy broke mine and my mothers' hearts. He looked up at us with his round and pleading eyes that make you want to cry. The way he looked, he could be thinking that no one would ever want him. Thinking that he had found his "forever-home", only to be dumped at a shelter. I looked at him and said, "If I could, I would take you home in a heartbeat." Of course, I want to take all of the animals home, but I wouldn't be able to do that. I already have 2 elderly dogs, and my father says "NO more!". Denise, the founder of Brother Wolf, said that there would be different dogs at the shelter every week. I don't know how long he's been there, but I personally don't think Ozzy will be leaving any time soon because he just looked so depressed that he didn't come across as a fun and loving dog. He just needs someone to care for him.

For more information about Ozzy: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/15573612?rvp=1%3f

Madi Moser

Post 1: We Are Their Voice

My name is Madi Moser. I am in 7th grade, and in school, there is a program called LEADER where the student choose a service project to carry out; I chose animal abuse, mostly because I love animals. I am mainly focusing on dogs. For my service project, I am going to help at a local animal shelter (Brother Wolf/Pet Soup) and then blog about what my experiences (i.e. the dogs' stories, conditions, etc.). I am then going to carry this project out through high school as the service project that is required, which gets me a head start. I named my post after a flier that I got at Brother Wolf. I am REALLY exited to start volunteering, and I finally get to blog (I know nothing about blogging, just so everyone knows).

Madi Moser