A Valuable Experience

There are so many valuable aspects of the Photographing for the Web course that I am taking. The information that I've learned of the shelter and animal overpopulation, relinquishment, and euthanasia are extremely valuable. Before beginning this course and volunteering at the WCAS, I was against animal shelters that euthanized animals, uneducated of all of the underlying issues. However, after beginning this course, I've learned so much about the causes of euthanasia. It's not the shelter's fault for having to euthanize. We as a community choose it to be this way when we vote for certain bills to be passed.There are just simply too many animals. According to the 2012 Public Animal Shelter Report, just in the last year, the WCAS took in 6,919 cats and 7,151 dogs. It is utterly impossible for the WCAS to shelter and care for over 14,000 animals. The shelter already spends $165 for each animal that is brought to the shelter. The animal shelter is not provided with enough money or volunteers to care for all of the animals if they were a no-kill shelter. Most of all, it wouldn't be fair to the animals. If we really think about it...those animals are in those kennels all day without anyone walking down the halls or giving them attention from 5pm-8am. Particularly for the dogs, the only times they get to enjoy the outdoors is when they are walked for 10-15 minutes. Dogs need love and attention from human beings. If a dog is never adopted and has to live in a kennel in the shelter for the rest of his life, we are stripping him of his need of this relationship with a human and time outside of the kennel. The animals will gradually go crazy from being locked up for too long. This information that the course has educated me with is one of the most valuable aspects of this course.

Most of all, what makes this course so valuable is the role that I'm playing. Photographing the animals may be a small role, but I am still contributing to the effort of finding these homeless animals homes which is the reason why I signed up for this course. By photographing the animals, we are making an impact on the animal's lives, but also the community around us, encouraging people to adopt a homeless animal. Even if only one dog were to get adopted because of a photo that I took during my volunteering services, I would be happy and satisfied. As long as I'm a part of making a difference.

It's great that this class has an online format with this blog because we students get to regurgitate what we learned from the class onto this blog and educate our readers about the issues of overpopulation. Also, we are given the time to do our best at helping the WCAS and this county's homeless animals. This Meredith College course may only provide 10 volunteer photographers for the WCAS, but we're still 10 supporters of a great cause that are helping these animals find homes...And THAT is what is most valuable about this course.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

                                                                                   -Margaret Mead

Photo taken by Shannon Johnstone. 6/6/12. This photo was taken from Karen Santrock's WCAS volunteer blog from last year:  http://talesfromtheshelter.blogspot.com/2012/06/volunteering-at-wake-county-animal.html