Good deeding on holiday!

Visiting my friend in Amsterdam, she volunteers each week at a shelter for dogs, cats and bunnies! Sounds cute, no?

NO.

We had to clean the most horrendous amount of dog poo you have seen in your life, honestly i questioned my ability to be a good person.

However, the staff explained that there are over 400 dogs and many have been rescued from puppy farms and unsafe homes, so it’s not their fault the poor things. We were assigned one row of about ten dogs to clean the dog pens inside and outside, picking up and sweeping the poo and then washing and cleaning the floor (and the walls, and the beds, and the bowls and the toys…you get the idea). Some of the dog pens did make me question my love for dogs tbh.

Anyway after that frankly disgusting task was over, we had the more pleasant task of ‘socialising’ some of the dogs who were more ready for a little human contact. Some of the dogs sadly were too damaged and needed the experts only for everyone’s safety - tho the dogs I saw were more scared than aggressive.

To socialise the dogs we had to sit on the (now clean) floor and read to them from our phones, not making eye contact and letting the dogs come to us when they were ready.

I was with a lovely but timid springer spaniel, I sat and read some whatsapps to her. She approached cautiously but then was immediately on my lap and nuzzling my face for attention. This was lovely!

But then it became a little overwhelming for her and she began showing signs of anxiety, so it was time for my brief visit to end.

We then had a short walk with another dog. There were two almost identical looking ones and the shelter had labelled them as ‘thin’ and ‘fat’ as I identifiers so I spent some time reassuring her for body positivity 😂

Sadly then the visit was over, tho honestly I was happy with the idea of leaving to get into a shower with the heat of a thousand suns and burn my clothes.

Also, no photos of the dogs allowed as if they had been removed from bad homes the owners could come looking for them. Instead here is an after photo of one of the pens, I didn’t take a before as it was too traumatic tbh.

Pleased to report i do still like dogs.