Volunteering in the Pittsburgh Community
by Sruti B
As a kid I would beg for a pet dog, making empty promises of magically becoming a responsible five year old if we got one. And when my parents would refuse, I swore I would get a dog as soon as I moved out for college. When I came to Carnegie Mellon, I was so enveloped by classes, clubs, research and all the other academic commitments, that I completely forgot about this promise.听
Then, during a summer internship when I had a LOT of downtime outside of work, I read through some old diary entries and remembered this childhood goal. Living in a dorm (shoutout Fifth and Clyde), I didn鈥檛 think it was realistic to adopt a dog, but I began thinking of other options. I landed on volunteering as a dog walker at a local animal shelter.听
Despite always loving animals, I didn鈥檛 have much experience interacting with dogs, especially ones that had been previously mistreated. The first few times I went to the animal shelter, I would put harnesses on backwards and accidentally let go of leashes. I should have won most reckless volunteer of the year. But over the months, my confidence working with dogs grew exponentially. I still have a lot to learn, but I鈥檓 now at a place where I feel comfortable handling most dogs at the shelter.
The time I spend at the shelter each week is a non-negotiable part of my calendar. It seemed daunting at first, but setting boundaries to prioritize something important to me helped me learn that I am not just a student, but a person with so many other spheres.
Around a year or so after I began walking dogs at the shelter, I signed up to become a foster mom. My two bundles of joy came soon after, Hunter and Gatherer. They became my world for the next three weeks. As a student, I wasn鈥檛 always home to take care of the six-week-old puppies, but my friends stopped by throughout the day to take care of them. This experience showed me how strong my support system is鈥� I constantly had friends coming through to take care of the puppies. It really does take a village!听
Now, two years into volunteering at the Humane Animal Rescue, I have found a community among the other volunteers and the gratification and grounding nature of walking dogs! I recently adopted a cat from the same shelter and now I can鈥檛 imagine life without Silvi. Volunteering at the shelter has been so fun and I can鈥檛 imagine my college experience without it.听