So, due to my recent saw accident, I think the store is going to stay closed for even longer. I can't do 90% of the stuff I should be doing right now, making this a completely nonproductive time for me at the rescue.
Add in that I'm typing with 9 fingers, so, v.e.r.y. slowly, that I had a total of 2.5 hours volunteered after literally posting on facebook for an entire week and emailing just about everyone who had said they'd "love to volunteer," along with sending out an email to the adopt-a-pet volunteer list -- people who, mind you, signed up specifically to volunteer -- and received no emails/contacts back. And only so much can get accomplished in 2.5 hours. Exactly 14 toys, some boxes broken down, and a litter pan full of toy parts sanded down, to be exact. In other words, not much. I appreciate the help I get, but where are the volunteers when I need em? I have 72 -- get that, seventy two, animals here right now. I am one f-ing person. It's all I can do to keep them fed and watered and clean, and some of ya'll have been bitching I'm not letting your precious pet out to play. Guess what? The animals at the humane society are fed the wrong food, given the wrong treats, and are never let out to play, even if they only have one bunny. And there, there is a paid staff, umpteen volunteers, and such. Again, I am one person, and frankly, I'm sick of it. You don't like that your animal's not getting let out? You can come back and take it back then. Cause until some people start stepping up to help, I am only one person and can only do so much.
I never promised anyone that I'm special and have 48 hours in a day. I work 40+ hours a week and my commute isn't 5 minutes. I come home and I'm tired. Currently I have a finger wrapped up and out of commission and it's all I can do to keep food down due to antibiotics and two other new meds that I shouldn't, undoubtedly, be all starting at once. But guess what? I still make time to feed and water the animals. Granted, they sure aren't coming out of their cages. But I'm getting tired of it. I come home and I have to do this shit for the rest of my night. I want to watch tv, but I can't, cause I need to list the animals. Need to feed em, need to clean em, so on and so forth. If I could get some help, it'd be fine, but everyone promises to help and in reality, no one helps when I ask. Which would be one thing if these people wouldn't be like "ooooooh I want to help!!!!!" and then fall off the face of the earth when the time comes, but I can't do it myself.
I dunno if I've posted on here bout what I'm planning for the other animals, but I'm going to get rid of all of the "other" cages and devote one FN to the other animals. Will still have the rat stack as well, but due to the overwhelming number of rats that find their way back here, I'm going to only keep 2/3 of the cages filled so I have room for take-backs. If it doesn't fit, tough shit. You don't see rabbit rescues saying, "oh yeah, we'll take in your rats! and guinea pigs!" Why should I make it so convenient for people? I try to help everyone and end up pulling my own hair out -- no more. Not worth my sanity to help all these animals when there are other rescues that specifically deal with them.
I don't know whatever gave me the idea that it's my responsibility to take in everything. If I tell people, "hey, there's a rat rescue in LaPorte," and they say, "that's too far...," how does that become my problem? By taking in every animal that's "too far" to take to another rescue, I'm just relieving those people of the responsibility to actually have to take some time out of their day to get their pet to the appropriate rescue. And for what? So I can give myself a headache? Not anymore. I have limits just like everyone else and I have been a doormat for too long. People choose to get a pet, I can't help em all. Especially now when I'm not well myself, have waaaaaaaaaaaay too many animals and no one helping.
I had someone suggest I pay someone to help me. First, I dunno where I'd find that person, but second....I feel like... why should I? All these other rescues have volunteers that they have to schedule so they don't have too many per day and I can't even find one person to help every week or even every other week for a few hours? But by all means, if you know of someone who wants a few hour job per week run by a slave driver for minimum wage, by all means, send em my way. They will be scrubbing and cleaning cages and sanding to their heart's content. Funny, I don't think anyone will send anyone this way.
I realize this probably sounds like a lot of whining and complaining, but ya'll gotta realize, I work too. A lot of people who own rescues either do that (1) as their job, or (2) are on disability and are home 24/7. I'm not. Especially now when I'm not well and on way too many meds, I want to come home and sleep since I don't feel good and I'm dizzy all the time. As my mom says, she doesn't know anyone else my age with as many health problems as I have. Plus, I have 70-odd animals to care for, and a job. Heaven forbid I ever want to have a life or get married. When would I have the wedding? Oh no. Short of me winning a publisher's clearinghouse $5k per week for life, I am cutting back.
I wrote up that list awhile ago of the local rescues who can take in the "other" animals. I am going to stick to that with the exception of the FN thing (which, again, need a volunteer here to get that switched over -- can't do that with only, basically, one hand working). If the people can't make it out there, I can't make it my headache, because sooner or later, my patience for all of this is going to run out and then there will be no rescue and then everyone will be out of luck, not just the rabbit, rat, and guinea pig people.
And you know what? This partially comes down to lack of volunteers. If I could get some help and didn't have to spend every waking moment with the animals, it'd be different. Heck, I will trade food, toys, something for help if someone really wants, but all of you that donate money -- that's great for vet bills, but that money doesn't help me one bit when I need someone here to help clean cages or build houses. I can have $5 or $5000 in the bank account but it doesn't change that I'm still one person.
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