Meet Linda! She serves as RASKC’s Lead Volunteer in the Vet Clinic. Linda engaged in Herculean efforts earlier this year to simultaneously onboard about 12 new volunteers on her team. Linda has impressed staff and volunteers very much in the many roles that she has undertaken, including as a foster volunteer, Cat Meet and Greet volunteer, event planner, and also as the former RASKC Liaison for New and Prospective Volunteers. Since she began volunteering in 2013, Linda has contributed over 5,000 hours. Thank you, Linda!

Q: How did you hear about RASKC?

A: When we first moved back to the Pacific Northwest for my husband’s job, we noticed that the animal shelter was not too far from where we lived at the time.

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

A: Where we lived prior to moving here, I was used to having our grandchildren come to my house on a very regular, frequent schedule. When we moved 3000 miles away from them, I was incredibly lonely and missed them terribly. I’ve always loved and cared for animals, so it seemed like a good fit for me to fill that void with something that I love.

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

A: I’m a crafty person. I scrapbook, make ceramics, sew wall-hangings, make mosaics, and cook, as well as other things. I’m also pretty good at online shopping. So the more I stay away from the computer, the better.

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

A: Volunteering with RASKC helped me overcome my loneliness when we first moved here. Believe me when I say that RASKC was doing me a favor by allowing me to come in and spend time with the animals and the people at the shelter.

Q: What is your life motto?

A: Be kind to others. We are all people and we all have feelings.

Q: What’s the best thing about your cats?

A: Their uncanny ability to walk across my keyboard and hit that magic combination of keys that makes the mouse cursor disappear. I once had a five-week old kitten do this. Seriously, how do they do that? You can never remember how to fix it.

Q: How would you describe your cats’ personalities?

A: One of my cats has been trained to wave her paws in the air to “ask” for a treat. The others are smart enough to let her do all of the work while they just get the treat.

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

A: Lots of reward but also lots of work. Don’t underestimate this.

Q: Describe a memorable moment you’ve had with an animal.

A: It’s all pretty rewarding, but I have to say that fostering kittens is a wonderful feeling for me. Getting them ready for their forever homes is such a great thing to do, knowing that what you do with them now will be with them for the rest of their lives. I’m so joyful to know that I am saving the lives of kittens so that they can be happy and content to go live with a wonderful person. It is a great feeling.

Q: What else would you like to say about volunteering for RASKC?

A: It’s such an immense pleasure to give of myself to RASKC. I enjoy it so much. Whenever someone thanks me for volunteering, I want to say “No, I thank you!”

Interested in volunteering with RASKC? We’d love to have you! For more information: http://www.kingcounty.gov/RASKCVolunteer