The Rescue Gang
In an average week, the Animal Help department receives around 400 e-mails, phone calls and letters from people asking for help or for admission of an animal to Best Friends. That's 1,600 requests a month and more than 19,000 each year!
In October of 1999, Troy Lea (pictured above) became the first animal help specialist. There are now 12 full-time specialists.
A specialist's day starts with prioritizing new requests. They typically juggle around 25 to 30 requests at one time. Then they begin the day's correspondence. Some requests can be resolved with one simple response; others may involve lots of e-mailing back and forth. At times it's a matter of asking the right questions in the right way in order to find an acceptable solution locally. It may be necessary to gather more information, which may mean contacting one of our experts or an outside source. The answer isn't always straightforward, so sometimes specialists have to think outside the box. It's an ongoing learning process, even for a veteran like Troy. The goal is to educate, provide resources and empower people to make a difference in their own communities.
One of the most common situations is helping people to deal with feral cats at a business or in a neighborhood. Another is doing damage control after vets have misinformed their clients about having to get rid of a cat because of a pregnancy in the family or about how to handle dog aggression.
Being an animal help specialist is one of the most stressful jobs at Best Friends. They can't save every animal or help everyone, and their case load never gets any smaller. It takes a unique person to be able to handle such emotionally draining and extremely stressful situations on a regular basis. But it can also be very rewarding. Receiving a simple thank-you or knowing an animal has found a loving home because of their efforts can go a long way. The amazing people who fill this role really want to be there and are making a true difference in saving the lives of animals.
For more about the work of the Animal Help department, go to the Animal Help Network Community on the Best Friends Network. Click on the Forums tab to check out the happy endings they've helped bring about!
