The shelter

Today was my second day of volunteering at the shelter. Both times my main 'job' was to clean cat enclosures. They have several, ranging from new incoming, happy with the world, stressed about the world, sick, feral, kittens and paying guests. All need cleaning and most of the cats need and want attention. Most, as some cats that come in are only there for a few short days, neutered and put back in the wild (the feral or semi-feral cats).

Most cats I saw today did want attention. Although they will let you know when the attention is enough or the wrong type like cleaning where they are sitting. Can't be helped and I am not afraid of a scratch or two. 

I also had to clean a feral enclosure and then boards are used to separate the areas within the enclosure. Those cats can be quite angry and hissy and you don't want to get on the wrong side of them. A scratch or two is fine, but having a feral cat sticking all its four claws in your face and biting? Not really.

It is tiring work, especially if you are as unfit as I am, but it is good fun and I do get to meet some people. Some of them volunteer like me, others have a short or long internship where they learn about different aspects of looking after animals. And there are a few people who actually have a job at the shelter and get paid for what they do. 

I am not doing this whenever I feel like it though, I do this every Tuesday and have told my current driving job as well: never available on Tuesday. The only real downside is that I have to get out of bed early. In my regular job I have to leave the house at around 9 or 9.30 in the morning, depending on the shift. This shelter job I have to leave at 7.45! *Yawn*

Intake

Remember what I wrote last week about the animal shelter? About me having an intake and tour through said shelter on Tuesday? You don't?? Tsk tsk...

Anyway, on Tuesday I had a tour and an intake at the animal shelter. And I thought that as I didn't have a job yet, I might as well help out once a week. So, from next week Tuesday I will be cleaning cages, petting cats, feeding and on occasion perhaps take a dog for a walk. 

There won't be many photos however. The agreement that I signed stated quite specifically that I was not to share any photos of any animals on social media. I might on occasion ask (especially with a lot of kittens) whether I am allowed, but don't count on it!

I had also contacted the temping agency again. I first spoke to somebody from the agency on February 5th. I was referred, didn't hear anything, prodded them, got an interview, had to do some stuff (legal and medical) and then nothing happened. And I must admit that I felt quite down in the dumps yesterday.

I decided I needed to be a bit more pro-active. Even though I would prefer to do public transport (for the regularity mainly), that seems to be impossible in this region. Other regions are not really an option, as I won't be able to live there and traveling that far would be out of the question for me. Perhaps a coach company? And the one I know is the one I used to work for. 

Today I took a bus to the town where they now are based. I walked in the door and two minutes later the question was: do you want to work? Ehm, yes! When can you start?? In fact, he had wanted to contact me after learning I would return to the Netherlands, but thought I had found another job already! 

My official employer will still be the temping agency, but I will be working as a coach driver, doing the same thing as I did, albeit with less foreign work probably. My first day at work will be this coming Sunday. Still have to figure out how to get there though.

And guess what. My last job before I left the company was a public transport route. My first job on returning to the company will be the exact same route! Life is funny.