#skypools lore

[skypools]

Working at an animal shelter fucking rules.

hi! im Sky, and ive been working at an animal shelter as an Animal Care Technician for about a year and a half now. I can say, from the bottom of my heart, this is the best job i have ever ever had.

before the shelter i worked at a veterinary clinic for two years with a total of 5 staff. the drama that occurred between all five of us was akin to a high school girls locker room. the constant stress i was under in that time almost broke me completely.

It wasnt until my boss (the veterinarian) blew up on me one day, telling me that I've never done my job right and that she'd been having me do any busywork she could think of to keep me from doing the job, that i finally realized what they'd been doing all along. why keep me for years and give me raises if i concerned them so much? why didn't they talk to me about it at all?

because they found it more fun to gossip about me and hate me from the sidelines than fire me and find someone new. ouch.

i spent a couple months after that unemployed and the most despressed ive ever been in my life. i had failed at my dream... or at least i thought i did.

then comes the shelter, where i work now. it's the total opposite kind of environment here. we have several separate teams for different operations of the shelter, the people are incredibly kind and understanding of mistakes, they have a lot of fun opportunities for community events and educational kids programs, and the work is so incredibly fulfilling (plus a 4 day work week!).

Animal Care Technicians are responsible for feeding and cleaning after all animals in the shelter. cleaning is the main thing we do all day, and it's super taxing sometimes. From power washing, scrubbing, window wiping to poop cleanup, litter changes, and proper kennel setup. It's a LOT of work. and i love every minute of it.

getting to see and interact with animals in this way is everything i could've dreamed of. no dealing with customers. no dealing with phone calls. i get to provide these animals with warm food and a safe space to live until they find their forever homes. i get to love these animals at a time where they have no family to care for them.

yes, the job is dirty. yes, the job is hard labor. yes, ive been injured badly by animals here. yes, ive walked in to find baby animals passed away. it's filthy. it's heartbreaking. it's all worth it.

it's worth it to see these pets find loving homes. it's worth it to make sure they are as healthy and happy as possible while they're in this stressful environment. it's worth it to feel the love of so many wonderful dogs and cats and small mammals in a day.

I love my job so, so much.