Today at the ARL (Animal Rescue League), we got to work at the adoption area. We cleaned the kennels and litter boxes, and fed the cats. Sometimes the kids are so focused on getting the work done, they would forget to play with the cats. Cats are such social animals, like humans. We put so much effort in fulfilling their basic needs that we sometimes forgot to address their social and emotional needs. We see that in our cats at home. They can go through feelings of anxiety and depression when their “friend” is away.
The kids have been doing this for a couple of years, and are very well-versed in the operations at ARL. They are able to see through the tasks independently. For instance, after taking care of the cats, they would clean and mop the area. They would know where to get the equipment and how to safely dispense the chemicals for sanitizing the floor. The task they are unable to do independently is operating the trash compactor, as it is a safety requirement that an adult has to be present to operate that machinery.