Volunteer Spotlight: Kate Lovelady

Kate Lovelady has been helping out at HSMO in various ways for more than a decade. She used to foster puppies and kittens, and then switched to doing kennel enrichment at the Macklind Avenue shelter in 2020.

For her, a typical shift includes gathering clean bedding and tidying up the pups’ kennels. Then she and her fellow volunteers visit with the dogs one on one.

“We help them practice helpful behaviors like sitting and try to discourage unhelpful behaviors like jumping,” she says. “And we try to provide what each dog seems to need at the moment—some of them just want to sit a few times for kibble or a little treat, some want to play, some want belly rubs and a long snuggle.”

She says that since most dogs find the kennels stressful on some level, it feels good to give them extra comfort or playtime.

“It also feels good to know that our work helps dogs get adopted, both by the behavior reinforcement we do and because visitors can see how the dogs interact with us,” she says.

When thinking back over her time doing kennel enrichment, Kate says her favorite experiences are getting to see shy dogs coming out of their shells.

“One day a dog might just sit in the corner while you throw a few bits of kibble their way,” she says. “The next time they might take a treat from your hand, and the third time they might climb into your lap.”

She recommends that anyone interested in doing volunteering at HSMO give it a try.

“It’s so rewarding, and there are so many different ways to volunteer,” she says. “Even on the most challenging days, I always feel happier after volunteering.”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at both of our locations, click here.