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Last Friday afternoon, we at Launch Leads held our Quarterly Service Project. It’s our way to give back to our local community while building our team spirit. This quarter we chose the nearby Humane Society where we mainly walked individual dogs, many of which had arrived just that day in anticipation of the weekend adoption rush.

I usually think of “dog shelter” when I think of The Humane Society (that’s where I adopted my precious pooch). But The Humane Society of the United States is so much more than just an animal shelter. It is the “largest and most effective animal protection organization” in the nation, with a mission encompassing all animals, both domestic and wild.

I spoke with our Humane Society’s Volunteer Coordinator, Lisa Burningham, who told me they rely very heavily on volunteers to take care of the extra daily needs of the domesticated animals at the shelter. My favorite experience was with a small dog that was curled up in a tight little ball when I first saw her. She was one of the new transferred dogs and it looked like she was trying very hard not to be noticed. I encouraged her out of her kennel and we took a slow walk outside around the facility, I fed her a couple of tiny treats, cuddled her a little bit, and then took her back inside. When I walked by her kennel a little later, this tiny pooch was stretched out on her bed looking relaxed and content. It made me feel good that I was able to contribute in a small way to her sense of well-being while she was going through ownership transition.

You can have this experience, too! I invite you to go on-line to your local Humane Society’s website and fill out the volunteer form. Here is the link to our Utah Humane Society: http://www.utahhumane.org/volunteer. You will receive an orientation and then be invited to come anytime during business hours to lend a helping hand. If you love animals, like I do, you will find this a very rewarding way to spend some extra time, and your local Humane Society will love you forever.

And now a shout-out to my fellow Launch Leaders! I invite you to comment about your experiences at last Friday’s Humane Society Service Project. What did you do and how did it make you feel? What was your favorite experience?

– Nancy Sutton

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