Emily Clark of Houston, TX (Montrose) started volunteering with HPA! at the cat facility just days after Hurricane Harvey hit. Now, she’s transitioned from the cat facility to multiple volunteer areas, including fostering kittens, transporting cats and dogs, and store supervising as well as managing social media for HPA! Thrift.
How did you originally hear about HPA!?
I had heard of HPA! through the rescue community. Before Harvey I was volunteering with another rescue. I have been volunteering with animal rescues or animal shelters for over 10 years.
Why did you initially choose to get involved with HPA! and why do you stay involved?
I love helping the animals in need, and I love the other volunteers.
Elaborate on your role/what you do:
I have two cats that don’t tolerate cats, but they do tolerate kittens, so I take full advantage of that. I currently have 4 foster kittens in my one-bedroom apartment. I transport animals from BARC or HCAS (or wherever else) to HPA! or directly to the foster. At HPA! Thrift, I intake, sort, and price donations. I organize ‘parties’ at the store to clean, sort, and update the items offered. I check out customers’ purchases and train other volunteers.
What advice do you have for others looking to get involved?
There are many people that you see doing so much; you don’t have to start doing that much. If all you can do is foster one dog or one cat, that is amazing! If you don’t want to volunteer with the animals because you’d fear you’d take them all home, volunteer with HPA! Thrift! Donate your time or needed items. You can do something as easy as transporting animals, too!
Is there a current HPA! pet that you’d like to give a shout out to? Why should someone adopt them?
Any of the fosters I have currently – TJ, Dennis, Baby, and Thumper. They will be ready for adoption in a few weeks. Jasmine (maybe adopted by the time this is published!) is a gorgeous young Siamese. She might even be purebred!*
(Find them and other adoptable pets here.)
*Jasmine was indeed adopted!
Anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you to HPA! for giving me the opportunities to help all the animals! This is a really great organization, a little chaotic at times, but everyone’s heart is really in it for all the animals!
To learn about becoming an HPA! volunteer, click here.
Comments are closed.