As a pre-med student, I often feel overwhelmed with the amount of boxes I have to check off. Grueling chemistry classes. Check. Awkward cold calls begging physicians to let me shadow. Check. Feeling like I’m behind in a race nobody is really racing in? Check. This makes it all the more important for me to have things on my agenda purely for the joy of them. For me, this is volunteering at the Humane Society of North Central Florida.
I started volunteering at the Human Society as a way to cope with how much I miss my dog back home (Hi, Kiro), and it is now one of the highlights of my week. I take dogs out for walks, play with them, dole out yummy treats and most importantly give much-needed attention and love to dogs who haven’t found a home yet.
Here is my (very official) rating of some of the dogs I’ve met during my time at the Humane Society.
Pollo Frito – 12/10
- Kisses galore the moment I opened his kennel
- Walked very well on a leash until it was time to go back… then he wouldn’t budge, but who can blame him?
- Devoured a Milk-Bone in seconds
Sundae – 13/10
- BALL IS LIFE
- Extremely speedy fetcher
- Pushed the ball with her nose and stared you down if you took too long to throw it
Mayo – 11/10
- Flopped over mid-zoomies for belly rubs
- Peed out of excitement
- Aggressive tail wagging that could power a city
- Soft floppy ears
Barbie – 10/10
- Adores belly rubs
- Bonded with her sister, Skipper
- Likes taking it easy and enjoying the breeze instead of zooming around
- Didn’t want to go back inside her kennel :(
Hudson – 11/10
- Very vocal. A great singer
- Sweet powdered sugar face
- Kinda shy but warms up
- Plays ½ of fetch (AKA will run to the toy but forget to bring it back).
Orion 14/10
- Absolutely loves tug-of-war
- Once his energy is out he’s an absolute Velcro dog
- Will look at you and do an annoyed wiggle if you stop petting him
- Followed me wherever I went
Hamlet 11/10
- I nearly face-planted because he was so excited to leave the kennel
- Really puts the “ham” in Hamlet because he lives for food
- Wouldn’t stop smelling my pockets (where I kept the treats)
Triton 10/10
- A gentle giant. Practically the size of a pony
- Eyes so blue they remind me of that one Miley Cyrus picture (iykyk)
- Just here for the treats which is understandable
If you or someone you know is able to adopt, please visit the Humane Society of North Central Florida’s website to see a list of available dogs and puppies. Even if you can’t adopt, the society is always looking for fosters who can give a dog a break from the shelter and a chance to enjoy the comfort of a real home. Still, don’t forget that, you can always become a volunteer! Even though I only visit once a week, I’ve already grown an attachment to these dogs and the love they’ve shown me. I know they have so much more love to give to anyone who wants to call them their own!
