VCAS makes a difference one paw at a time
One of the busiest times of the year for shelters is after the holiday season, during which many have surprised their loved ones with furry companions. Although some opted to buy and others chose to adopt, adoption fees at Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) have been lowered to accommodate the capacity of the shelter. VCAS’ two shelters, one in Camarillo and the other in Simi Valley, take in animals and work to find them loving homes.
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Looking for love (Smokey) – Leilani Alamillo, NPHS teacher and VCAS volunteer, provides insight on the multiple and rewarding services a volunteer can provide. “There’s always things to do. One of the things I forgot that they always need done is laundry. You can always do laundry. You can go anytime…They always need help, so you always feel like you’re contributing,” Alamillo said.”
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Friends furever – Carol Almos, volunteer manager at the Ventura County Animal Shelter in Camarillo, further explains what VCAS does. Along with being a shelter, they provide public safety and provide public support. “We also have very active volunteer and foster programs, so [people] who love animals can get involved and help out […] in that way,” Almos said.
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Adopt me! (Temu) – Carol Almos emphasizes the importance of decompression for animals adjusting to a new home after the initial adoption process. “There’s a rule of threes when you take an animal home. They need three days just to decompress, three weeks to learn the routine at your house and three months to truly feel at home. So we really talk to people about giving them that time,” Almos said.
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Staying pawsitive (Thor) – Alamillo also has a unique position of a “store angel,” and demonstrates the unseen efforts that shelters and their volunteers provide. “I take cats and kittens from the shelter and take them to the PetSmart in Newbury Park so then they can be adopted there. I visit them in the store [and] make sure to give them socialization and playtime at the store and also help with adoptions,” Alamillo said.
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Dogs smolder too (Dave) – As she pushes for education around animal shelters, Almos has hopes for improving the lives of the furry adoptees. “I would love for more people to choose to adopt their pet. I would love to be able to provide more support and education so that people can keep their pets in their happy homes,” Almos said. “As we learn more about animals […] I would like every shelter to have policies that help this be the least stressful and least scary experience, most fun and most enjoyable experience for the animals.”
