Our amazing volunteer of the month is Anna R who has been with us for just 5 months now. Anna has been such a great support to our team from the day she started volunteering. Anna has always loved animals and has wanted to volunteer her time to help them ever since she was a little girl. Once she turned 16 in November she knew it was the perfect opportunity to start volunteering. She started at the Cat Shelter being a cat lover but she also plans to help with the dogs as well.
Anna finds that volunteering at Animal Friends Alliance is important because she can support our team with cleaning and daily care of the cats so they can focus on other tasks to help us save more animals. Anna also sees how volunteering not only impacts people but the cats as well. When someone comes in to adopt a cat, the cat is healthy, clean, and ready to be taken home. She sees the cats as they come into our care in sometimes poor condition and she knows that in being a part of our team, she is helping us to save those animals and find them a loving home.
Anna spends most of her shift making sure all of the tasks are done so she can not only support our staff but the other volunteers as well. When she has some extra time, she loves to meet all of the different cats with all of their varied personalities. Her favorite moments are when she sees a shy cat come out of their shell and build up the courage to approach new people. She finds animal behavior fascinating and learning more about animals has always intrigued Anna.
At home, Anna spends her time with her hedgehog, cat, dog and snake. She’s had many other animals in her life including birds, hamsters, turtles, mice, fish and many other cats. Her hedgehog’s name is Finnegan and he’s been with Anna for a year. The poor fella had his ear chewed off by another hedgehog when they were put in the same cage accidentally. Her snake, 4 year old Athena, has been with Anna for all 4 years. Though many people fear snakes, Athena is actually very sweet and easy going.
Flame, her 8 year old orange tabby is Anna’s favorite animal. He loves to show his love by licking his family, drooling and giving cuddles. When Flame was adopted Anna’s family adopted his twin brother as well but he decided to live with the neighbors instead so before they moved they decided to let him stay with the neighbors. Anna’s dog is named Lilou and she’s a bit of a handful. She is a Pitsky puppy and she likes to chew likely due to her separation anxiety. Though Anna loves her very much, she doesn’t love that she chewed through most of her childhood stuffed animals!
Anna’s family has always wanted to live in Colorado and they finally decided to make the move in 2019. In the past Anna went to a private school in Houston and now she is going to a charter school here in Fort Collins. In her free time when she isn’t volunteering she loves to watch Netflix shows, listen to music and play video games. Though she doesn’t have a job currently she plans to become an Animal Control Officer and she hopes to continue volunteering at the shelter for years to come.