Meet Sarah!

Sarah has taken on various tasks with tremendous skill, reliability and confidence! Sarah is largely to thank for providing leadership to the following teams: Cat Meet & Greet, Shelter Helper, Community Events, Social Media and the Vet Clinic Volunteer team. In light of Sarah’s immense contributions in a relatively short period of time, plus her overall magnificent personality, Sarah has been recognized as RASKC’s Volunteer of the Month for January. Read our Q&A with her below:

Q: How did you hear about RASKC?

A: I stopped in to the Kent shelter during an adoption event 14 years ago when I saw the signs as I was driving by with a friend. I said “Oh let’s just go in and LOOK at the kitties…” An hour later I walked out the door with a tiny kitten who captured my heart! All these years later she’s still my “baby”.

Q: What made you want to volunteer, especially to work with animals?

A: Over the years I’ve donated to a variety of local animal rescue organizations, and I used to stop by the RASKC shelter sometimes to drop off supplies (and visit the cats and dogs, of course!) I’d thought about volunteering off and on – I loved the idea of helping them find good homes, but I never made time for it until 2014. Finally I filled out the volunteer application, went to orientation, and haven’t looked back since!

Q: What do you do when you aren’t volunteering at RASKC?

A: I live in Kent with my corgi and my two cats (who make me smile and laugh on a daily basis – I can’t imagine not having pets in my life!), and I work in Tacoma as an Accounting/HR Manager for a real estate company. In my spare time (which seems rare sometimes) I enjoy taking my dog for walks, scrapbooking, going to movies, and spending time with my friends and family. I also love music, reading, swimming and traveling!

Q: What do you hope to gain from your experience as a volunteer with RASKC?

A: I find it really personally rewarding to spend time with the cats at the shelter to give them the love, comfort and socialization they need, and help match them up with their new families. It’s so exciting to see them get adopted! I also really enjoy being able to put some of my strengths and skills to use on behalf of a county organization who has limited resources to provide care to the animals in our community.

Q: What is your favorite activity to do with your dog?

A: Joshua is my little buddy, and he loves to go just about anywhere with me – running errands, going to work, etc. Naturally his favorite, though, is a nice walk at Green Lake or along Alki in Seattle, where he can meet lots of dogs and pee on everything in sight. When we don’t have time to head up to the big city we pop in to Morrill Meadows off-leash dog park for a quick romp, or, if all else fails…there are two cats at home for him to chase around!

Q: What’s the best thing about your cat(s)?

A: They are great snugglers and give me lots of love (and laughs at their crazy antics!) I also love that my big fat orange tabby, Milo, has the sweetest, tiniest meow that is so unfitting of the big boy that he is!

Q: How would you describe your cats’ personalities?

My cats follow me everywhere I go…they’re like my furry little entourage! Ginger, in particular, is a creature of habit. I can count on her to wait for me at the door in the evening when I get home from work, to curl up next to (if not on) my pillow every night, and stand guard in the bathroom while I take a shower. She and Milo are both playful (although not with each other, just tolerant), but unfortunately the dog steals all of their toys – he’ll even snatch one right out of their paws!

Q: What is the best advice you would give people who want pets?

A: I really believe in the idea of a FOREVER HOME for pets. Make sure you are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to the pet you choose – research it and choose the kind of pet that’s right for your lifestyle. Then love them unconditionally and let them love you back – you will never regret it!

A: Our first dog, Susie, made a very big impression on my life in a very short period of time. As a long-time cat person, I was unsure about getting a dog at first, but when I saw Susie’s ad on Petfinder after weeks of searching for just the right dog, I just KNEW she was the one! I was sad to hear someone had already adopted her, but a few days later I got the most wonderful call from the rescue, letting me know Susie had been returned and was available after all! We brought her home that weekend and, over the next few months, did all sorts of fun things with her. She was a great companion – we took her on walks and park visits and on vacations. We threw balls around in the house for her. We snuggled together on the couch watching TV together. She completely ignored the cats, who were at first terrified of this new creature until they figured out she meant them no harm. We took her to dog training class (more for our benefit than hers since she was already really well trained). Susie was the perfect first dog! Unfortunately she was diagnosed with kidney failure not long after that, and after many months of trying to stabilize her condition and maintain her quality of life, we finally had to put an end to her suffering. Susie will forever hold a special place in my heart!

Interested in volunteering? Visit us on our homepage to learn about the program and various opportunities available on site or at home! http://www.kingcounty.gov/RASKCvolunteer