Volunteer Spotlight: Larissa
Meet Stover Animal Rescue Volunteer: Larissa!
I grew up in the Mississippi Delta. I currently have three cats and three dogs, who all just showed up at my house at one time or another. I have three sisters, seven lively nephews, and two sweet nieces. I love to travel, read, cook or bake, learn about history and culture. One of my biggest dreams is to spend more time in Europe, especially Switzerland. I stay very busy with my job at a local coffee shop and volunteering time at the shelter and also trying to keep up with my personal responsibilities and pets. It is so difficult to find the right balance, because I want to help all the animals, but realistically I have a limited amount of time and energy.
I have been a volunteer at SAR for around 9 years, I believe. My roles as an SAR volunteer are helping manage the cat side, keep up with cats’ medical needs and vaccinations, and watch for health issues. I also do dog and cat chores, one shift a week, and sometimes two. I help with cat adoptions as well. I started volunteering at SAR because I drove by every day on my way to work, and I’ve always had a special love and connection with animals and felt like I should do something to help them. I started out walking dogs one day a week, and I loved making them happy. I understand animals and feel their emotions. They give such unconditional love and acceptance, and none of them deserve to be sad or mistreated, only loved in return.
The most rewarding thing about volunteering is the connection you make with the animals. It is the best feeling to see them happy and thriving and healthy. They bring so much joy to my life. It’s also great to work together with others who love animals too. My greatest challenge as a volunteer is not letting myself get stressed or anxious about the animals or responsibilities. I would take them all home with me if I could.
Read more about Volunteering
