Heather Davidson   Ethics Service Learning Project   Reflection Essay 4/3/07
	Cat from  Westerly Animal Shelter

            I decided to volunteer at the Westerly Animal Shelter, mainly assisting the cats in grooming and keeping their cages clean. I spent a total of 12 hours there, including one hour for my interview and training. After doing this project I feel better about myself and my assistance with making the world a better place.

            Stand up for Animals is a small, not-for-profit organization that is planning a new shelter for cats and dogs in Westerly. The new facility will house up to 125 cats and 31 dogs, and will be FEMA-approved to house more animals in the event of a natural disaster. In addition to the vet-approved ventilation system, an isolation room for sick animals and an adoption center will be included. Even though the organization is still seeking more donations to complete the project, ground breaking is expected to begin in April. When I contacted a representative to offer my services, it was suggested that I help at the current shelter.

      The employees at the shelter were very welcoming, and set up an interview for the following Saturday. I had no idea what to expect in my interview, never mind how to dress. I was asked questions regarding my feelings on euthanasia, if I had ever been convicted of animal abuse, and if I was opposed to them checking on the status of my own animals.

            I, like many people, initially felt sad for the animals at the shelter. It may

have been a combination of guilt from being a human who, to the animals, deceived and abandoned them, and knowing that these animals did not live the same carefree life as my own pets. After my experience with the shelter, I now feel we have successfully “rescued” some of society’s unvalued members. I witnessed animals that had been tied to a tree for most of their life and completely neglected by their owners, who somehow still had love for humans without bearing a grudge.

            While many people disagree on the extent to which animals have rights, it is very clear humans have a dependency on animals. Animals provide humans with pleasure, comfort, security, work, food, clothing, as well as many others. While some animals have instrumental value, such as an oxe assisting with a farm, a cat has intrinsic value in and of itself.

     Tom, the Animal Control Officer, faces ethical issues on a daily basis. He explained the grief a family experiences when an unforeseen event, such as a developed allergy against a pet, forces them to surrender their pet to the shelter. If someone brings in a cat that no longer has intrinsic value, Tom may be put in a situation to decide whether or not to give up the last available bed. The family with the unknown allergy could possibly bring in their beloved pet later that day expecting to say their final good-byes. If the last bed is already taken, the family will have to experience the hardship at a later time.

            Ethical decisions also need to be made by the 40 volunteers who spend time assisting the animals. Tom relies heavily on these volunteers that interact

with the animals during playing, feeding, and walking times. The volunteers need to be completely honest in regards to behaviors the animal may have, even though this may delay or possibly prevent adoption. A volunteer may think they are “helping” the animal by not divulging such information such as nipping or jumping, but they are actually doing harm to the animal and potential owner.

            Kantianism believes in no exceptions, and some shelters have the same belief. In order to be a “no kill” shelter, sick and troublesome animals are turned away to maintain their name. While the Westerly Animal Shelter is not “no kill”, euthanasia is rare. In 2006, 5 out of 205 dogs needed to be euthanized for health or behavioral reasons. The shelter will educate a potential owner as to the needs of the dog (no kids, other dogs, etc), but they will not place an animal if there is a chance the animal could do harm in the event it escapes. Tom has seen the permanent damage caused by a dog bite, and he won’t risk that happening just to adopt-out an animal.

            Jeremy Bentham believed to know the ethical status of animals, we need not ask if they speak, but only whether or not they can suffer. There is a 10-day waiting period in which the owner has a chance to reclaim their pet before it is eligible to be adopted. If an animal is found injured and needs surgery, Tom needs to make a quick decision. One such instance happened when a weimeramer was found hit and needed $3000 worth of surgery, the allotted amount for the entire year in the shelter’s budget. The vet attempted to keep the dog comfortable, hoping the owner would come forward. After 3 days the bones

began to set, and the dog was going to need the surgery to maintain quality of life. Through Stand up for Animals and private donations, the dog was able to get the needed surgery. Unfortunately, the owner never came forth to claim the dog but he was adopted by someone in the community.

            Tom uses a feminist ethics approach when dealing with the community. Along with taking into consideration the grief a family experiences when surrendering a pet, he also considers how a family feels when a pet dies. If an owner comes in with old, torn chew toys to donate, Tom will graciously accept them. He understands how difficult it must be for someone to discard a pet’s belongings, even though they are unusable and need to be disposed of. Tom wants to generate a positive relationship between the shelter and people in the community.

            Peter Singer believes disrespecting the interests of animals is speciesism, a form of racism or sexism. One morning I arrived to see the shelter mascot, Mel, lying on the floor of Tom’s office. The town workers were attempting to alleviate a bird problem by shooting guns into the air. When Tom confronted the workers to inform them the shots were agitating the dogs, one worker replied with a snicker, “You know what we do with gun-shy dogs”. To the best of my knowledge it was the end of the conversation, and Mel got to spend the morning at Tom’s feet.

            This project gave me insight I could never have gained from doing a formal research paper. It also fostered relationships that I hope to continue in the future. If an egoist proclaimed all this was for self-glory, they would probably be

right. I did gain from this, but that was not my primary motive.