It was a cold fall day when I went to volunteer for the first time at a shelter. Nothing could prepare me for what was in store that day. I didn't know what to expect, but after I entered the building it became clear.

It was my first year with the club Resume Rams that attended shelters for animals and helping them find homes. Hands trembling with anticipation at the thought of being able to help the animals. And when we drove to the Humane Shelter of Lower Buckeye, my stomach was doing somersaults while jumping for joy.

Upon entering, I was blinded with a piercing white light. Everything went blank and my mind was swimming. Everything was spinning and all the only noise was a harp playing in the background. It was melodious and sweet, just enough to make the wicked cry at its beautiful sound. The suddenly everything came rushing back and I was standing at the reception desk with my group again. However, this time there was a woman now explaining what was going on with the facilities.

“Sorry for the wait, but we are short staffed currently. Since the funding stopped last year, everyone left and now the building is pretty much empty with the exception of the animals.”

I couldn't believe it. “How could people just leave these  animals behind and with hardly any care?” I thought. My hands were tingling with anger along with bewildered lungs.

As we followed her the down the corridors to the kennels, my nostrils were slowly violated with a nauseating smell. Soon my eyes were watering up due to the stench and a few were holding onto the handrails to keep their balance. When we reached the kennels everyone fell to their knees at the sight and two of the members hurled. Desperation. It sang out of every heart. The kennels were covered in muck and the animals themselves were laying in it. Upon entering began whimpering and howls of remorse. We were engulfed in the sound for their was no escaping its torturous melody. “This is what has become of these animals. They were abandoned and having no where to go we took them in. But since we could no longer able to maintain the facility and the animals have been forced to live in these conditions.” the woman explained as horror become our only expression. All I could think is Why? Why was nothing done? Why are they rotting away in those stupid kennels? What type of monster leaves animals in these types of conditions? Everything was on fire. My palms were sweaty and clammy, legs were tingling with rage while the heart was being crushed. Anger was the only emotion.

In the process of helping the animals, many were afraid to being out of the kennels and forced a few volunteers to muzzle two of the dogs to keep from being bitten. During Operation: Clean Up, we scrapped the muck off the kennels, repaired some of the wiring in the gates and scrubbed the dogs down. When everything was done, they were barking and wagging their tails faster than windmills. All you could feel was love in the atmosphere.

Since this experience my eyes were forced open to see that animals can be just as unfortunate as us. I began to volunteer at local shelters helping with adoptions and even taking classes to become a veterinarian to help animals in critical conditions. I've been haunted with the memory of the howls and whimpering, but it was what allowed for me to understand every living thing deserves to be loved and treated with kindness.

No animal or person should be forced to live in trash nor be treated as such either. Everyone and everything deserves to have a home and be loved and that’s what Rescue Rams is all about; Helping those in need.