I mentioned in an earlier post my Instagram account featuring the cats, dogs, chickens, sheep, and many more during my experience over the summer. While I will no longer be at the Humane Society every day, I make such frequent visits there to play with the cats and walk the dogs that I am going to keep the account up and running.

I am always putting myself out there to people with pets and animals letting them know about my internship, and how I am more than willing to pet-sit for them. I am also using my internship as a reference point for future jobs and educational opportunities. I am also simply using my internship as  a topic of conversation in hopes to help get more animals adopted!

I look forward to my future and what it holds for me, whether it be related to kids and animals or not, I extremely appreciate my opportunity at the Humane Society. It helped me create some friendships worth remembering, and it helped me open up to kids which is a huge stepping stone for me.

Every time I share my experience of interning at the Halifax Humane Society, almost everyone is interested and happy to chat. Animals are such an enjoyment in peoples lives, they really do become part of families and have the power to positively impact people in many ways.

One thing that always kept me happy through out my time at the Halifax Humane Society was the genuine care that everyone working at the facility had. Each staff member was always ready for another long day of dealing with the various animals, and each volunteer was happy to be there and help out in any way possible. Having a few pets, and caring for more than 50 dogs are two completely different tasks. The staff works very hard to keep the animals safe, healthy, and happy.

One person in particular works the hardest of all; Dr. Wolfe the only on staff veterinarian at the facility. She is constantly working and still has the distinct and unique love for the animals she works with. Dr. Wolfe would take the time out of her busy days to talk with the kids at camp and I was always super appreciative each and every time. She also was treating my dog this summer for heartworms which gave me another reason to really appreciate her work. She has spay and neutering surgeries on Tuesdays and Thursdays where she works on about 50 or more animals each day.

In general, all of the employees shared a common virtue and care for animals that emanates the facility with happy and caring vibes.

My other post talks about a few of the boys who stood out during camp and their behaviors towards others and myself. I also want to share my reflections of a few of the girls at camp. Since I only have a younger brother, adapting to girls this age was even harder for me.

I managed to respond very well and  tastefully when they asked questions or made remarks pertaining to their image, female image, whats stereotypes are, and other topics. A couple girls wondered why none of the officers who came in for the K-9 presentations were women, and I made it a point to have the officers explain that women CAN be officers and K-9 officers.

A lot of the girls mentioned their Instagram accounts and their social media accounts. There was a surprising amount of stories that went along with their accounts ranging from their first “boyfriend” and all the drama during the school year, to actual threats and predators. I tried my best to explain that theres a time and place for everything and that they need to be extremely cautious with what they post and who they allow to follow.

Don’t get me wrong, the boys asked for advice and interesting questions too, and I answered them with just as much advice but the girls seemed more involved online and slightly more unaware of what could potentially go wrong.

Another interesting topic both the girls and boys brought up was the breed issue of  Pit-bulls, Rottweiler’s, and other intimidatingly labeled breeds. I found bliss in the amount of kids who stated those dogs are usually “misinterpreted” and we discussed how certain dogs can be trained and raised to be aggressive or bad, whereas the same breed, even the same litter can have a different home impacting its “personality” and behavior.

Many of the kids stand out in my memory, but a couple in particular are going to stick with my memories for a very long time. Most of the kids would fade into their groups of friends without making a fuss or standing out too much, but some were uniquely memorable. One boy was somewhat difficult to handle and did not listen very well; at the end of the camp he ended up saying that he doesn’t listen to any women. This moment has been a sad memory, but also an educational one. I was proud when I could handle it completely rationally by telling him that he needs to respect women authority even if he didn’t want to, and I was happy when I didn’t get angry with the kid but I acknowledged that it had to have been something to do with how he was raised.

Another boy was slightly more concerning. This boy started to speak up by telling stories about death and morbidly sad things. He then began speaking of the afterlife and even childbirth. He had strange cuts and scars on his ankles and legs, and one day he picked a scab and began to bleed. When we asked him to clean it up he refused, in which case I had to assist him in cleaning up the blood. When we threw away the paper towel with blood on it, he insisted on keeping it. With my strongest resistance I tried to not allow it, but he grabbed it and ran. I managed to tell the person in charge of the camp, but they didn’t seem too concerned. The following days he brought in dead bugs, and was curious about executions and the death penalty. We managed to talk to the child’s grandmother, but she too didn’t seem concerned.

In either case I feel it was important for me to be exposed to such raw and uncomfortable situations in order to be prepared for anything. I am happy to say I was able to handle myself and reasonably handle the kids in each circumstance to the best of my ability as a counselor.

Looking back at the beginning of my internship, I was irrationally nervous about working with kids. Being constantly in the presence of kids and taking things into their perspective has opened up a whole new world for me. It’s almost as if I now have a kid friendly aura. Before this summer I was not considering having kids of my own, and now my entire life plans have been flipped upside-down (In a good way). I feel 100 percent more inclined to care for, and even just chat with younger children.

The daily activities of PAWS camp have encouraged me to do more volunteer work at My Angel With Paws. I am interested in the first steps of training a service dog, and specifically the weekend foster program. I don’t think I have enough time to care for a service dog full time, but a weekend responsibility is perfect. I have learned so much about general check-ups and taking care of house pets. I mentioned the outlandish idea of a veterinary degree in my earlier posts, but with some more consideration and research I might be applying to a veterinary technician program.

I am still going to apply to the masters program at Stetson; Educating for Social Justice, but I am extremely interested in both fields which poses somewhat of a dilemma so I am leaving my options open. I am so thankful for the experience at the Halifax Humane Society, I have had some unique experiences at the camp and can only benefit from all that I’ve encountered.

This is actually my last week interning at the Halifax Humane Society. Nothing has changed, we keep up the same activities each week. Monday is introductions, Dr. Wolfe, the in house veterinarian, explains an average cat or dog checkup, and we fill the rest of the day with activities, crafts, and games. Tuesday we play with bearded dragons, and then get a demonstration from the Daytona Beach k-9 unit. We fill the rest of Tuesday with activities, and sometimes a visit from a cat or dog. Wednesday is our field trip to the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet. This takes up a huge part of the day with the sea turtles, stingrays, fish, and birds. Thursday we learn about the Service dogs from My Angel with Paws. The kids love playing with the super well-trained dogs. Fridays we either get a visit from a local sheep-owner, who explains a little bit of showing livestock, or we get a visit from a local Guinea Pig shower. Friday is also Pizza and snow cone day.

Each week the activities repeat, making me a master of fun facts about a variety of animals. Alligators are not strictly carnivores, they also enjoy fruit. The dwarf shark is the smallest of the shark species. Cats can get sick from stress. Golden retrievers are usually used as service dogs because of their gentle jaw. German Shepherds are used in the K-9 unit because they form a strong bond with one person (the officer). The black tip shark is the most common species found in Ponce Inlet. The leatherback is the largest species of sea turtle. And the Atlantic Stingray is a rainbow color. It’s all very fun and interesting.

This week I had to take in my own dog to the Humane Society, because we rescued him from there being heart worm positive. Monday and Tuesday were his last two injections of heart worm treatment. It was definitely very awesome to be able to go into the infirmary with the veterinarian and visit with my dog during his days at the Humane Society.

The start of another week of camp began today, and I’m becoming a professional at leading camp. Each week the dynamic of the group is different, and this week we even have kids from Costa Rica, China, and Russia. Managing the kids as well as the animals is always interesting, but also always very pure. It is easy to see the connection and benefits that friendships between children and animals have. The relationships are visibly therapeutic. While learning and growing to love each day at the PAWS camp, I decided to make a new Instagram account featuring the animals we meet and play with (as well as other pets around town). The account has become a great activity to share my experiences at the Humane Society! ( The account is titled: animal_amigos just for reference)

It’s always fun handling the variety of animals such as rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats, but today was one of my favorite days so far. The in-shelter veterinarian requested my help in giving a heartworm injection in a female pit-bull. Being behind the scenes and helping out with some intense on-hand work was very exciting.

Tomorrow the K-9 unit officers and dogs come in as usual, and It is always interesting to see what kinds of questions the kids have for the officers. It is also incredible to see first hand the abilities of these very well trained dogs.

Fostering is an amazing gesture for families or people looking to care for animals without serious commitment. Every thursday the volunteers from My Angel With Paws come in to explain the service dogs and their trainers. Another type of short term care for a dog is training a service dog. I am considering this opportunity, and the more I learn about the amazing advantages to this volunteer program, the more likely I am to participate.

Each week a new group of kids are registered for the camp. We usually have about 20 kids in each camp. Each group always has a different dynamic. This weeks group is quite rambunctious and talkative, but it’s inspiring to see so many young kids with plans of becoming veterenarians. Most of the other interns are not quite 18 yet, so I feel that tends to be a slight challenge simply because of their lack of real world, raw life experiences. Most of the activities are pre-planned and repeated each week, but it is left up to us to facilitate, instruct, and guide each activity. I’m becoming very good at recognizing which kids will need more one on one help during certain activities. I am also beginning to analyze the usually drastically different traits and characteristics of boys versus girls at this age group. Another interesting observation (although slightly off topic) is the commonality of majority of the boys in this age group that have, or claim to have either ADD or ADHD. On the animal side of things, I am happy to say I have witnessed many adoptions out of the Humane Society, and there is nothing better than seeing a pet go home with it’s new family for the first time.

I originally had been interested in the program at stetson: Educating for Social Justice. With recent advising meetings and guidance for my future plans I am also looking into the masters programs nearby about non-profit. Still my next steps remain uncertain, but each day I learn something or take a new step and hope to find a clear path.

Having one week down feels great, now I am completely aware of my duties and responsibilities during this internship. While it may not be exactly what I am looking for, I have no doubt I will learn a copious amount during this internship. After my full week at the Humane Society, I’m basically a main leader in organizing and running a summer camp with kids ages 8-12.

I, along with three other interns, manage the activities for the kids from 9 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday.  We incorporate the animals in as many ways as possible, for example we have the kids do crafts to give to the animals who are at the Humane Society. We’ve given peanut-butter “pupsicles” for the puppies and dogs. We have members from the K-9 police unit come in to share information about their dogs in training and on the job. We also take a trip to the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet to explore all of the exhibits; specifically fish, turtles, and birds.

The Humane Society has  scheduled a break until July 6th when everything will pick back up in full swing.  Having some time off has allowed me to really research my next moves as far as education or career opportunities go. I have been looking into programs and education for a  management or operating position at  a non-profit organization. I also have been really interested in a masters program based on education, using my involvement with kids during this internship as a stepping stone, I am becoming more interested and can realistically see it in my future.

Today was my first day interning at the Halifax Humane Society. After numerous trips and volunteer work there I sort of had an idea of how it would go. I felt completely comfortable and ready to help out. While working with kids makes me slightly nervous, I found it extremely interesting to hear they’re perspectives and knowledge about the animals. Most of them surprised me with how much they knew!

We went over general veterinarian check-ups for dogs and cats and we learned special tricks on how to properly train a puppy. I can already see this internship making a huge impact on my life and who I am as a person even simply from spending time with the specific type of people who care deeply for the well-being of animals.

One of the staff members asked me today if I planned on being a veterinarian in the future, and while that was not the plan it brought me back to my very young days when it was the first job I ever wanted to do as a child, and it got the wheels turning in my head. Even though that seems wildly outlandish, who wouldn’t love spending all of their time with cute, cuddly, and fluffy pets?