SHARE OMAHA

DOING GOOD IS for the dogs … and cats

Who is a do-gooder? Either you are one, or you know a few. SHARE Omaha defines do-gooders as those who see a need and do good for others or the community; those who raise their hands to help when a crisis or challenge arises around them; and those who regularly prioritize this good work, even in the light of personal sacrifice. SHARE Omaha tells stories of volunteers, donors and general do-gooders regularly on our blog at SHAREomaha.org, and with this column we seek to act as a megaphone for those making our community and metro area better. These dogooders could be individuals, businesses, families or nonprofit organizations.

Give them a GRRIN GRRIN, or Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska, attracted Jacki Wild to foster for the first time in May 2019. She and her family have a dog and wanted to find him a friend. After a little research, she found GRRIN, and the story of the organization’s dedication to the memory of a fallen hero and devoted golden retriever friend “tugged at (her) heartstrings.” Quickly after beginning her first fostering experience, with a golden named Zoey, she realized how much Zoey meant to her and her household.

“She was ours,” Wild said of Zoey. The foster dog was nine years old and had recently been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor. Zoey’s time with Wild turned into more of a hospice experience until the dog’s passing in December 2019.

“I wouldn’t trade a minute of it,” Wild recounted of nursing Zoey. Wild’s family has since been fostering another golden through GRRIN, a puppy this time, during the COVID-19 period.

Wild said she has the utmost respect for the organization and that GRRIN’s process and integrity impresses her greatly. The team does this work selflessly, all as volunteers, and GRRIN celebrates 30 years of service in 2021.

“The dedication (the Wild family) demonstrated in caring for Zoey is representative of the care we at GRRIN give all of our foster dogs, but as a first-time foster family, they were incredible,” GRRIN’s local leader, Barb Garrett, said. “Most of the dogs that come into GRRIN’s care simply could not be kept by their original families, and I am extremely proud of the foster system we have in place to give them a comfortable home during their transition.” Wild said she encourages others to foster pets. “It is a leap to become a foster… but once you take that leap, it is the easiest thing.” Be humane about it Teresa Woods, a consistent community volunteer, tried something new two years ago: serving at an animal shelter. She has exceeded 300 hours of service each year at Midlands Humane Society (MHS) in Council Bluffs. “I usually spend all day Sunday at the shelter starting at 7 a.m.: walking dogs, spoiling them and giving them treats. For the rest of the day I help with cat care: cleaning their colonies, dishes, laundry and windows. And my day doesn’t feel complete until the floor is mopped and looking good.” Why did Woods gravitate toward a shelter? “ Animals are always so happy to see you and never want something in exchange,” she said, adding that this not only applies to every dog, but that cats also want attention. “(There’s) never an animal that doesn’t want a piece of you.”

marjorie m. maas

Woods makes a case for those unfamiliar with animal shelters. “People go in there thinking (the animals) are just in a cage. I could never get behind that. (The dogs and cats) get walked, exercise, cookies. It is not a negative thing for an animal to be in a shelter.”

Kori Nelson, director of development and marketing for MHS, said the organization’s urgent needs include gifts of time.

“Fostering animals, particularly kittens, is almost always a need, along with people wanting to learn to work with dogs who need extra training and attention before they can be placed with a family. Volunteers would give us extra hands, possibly taking our dogs offsite to help them experience the outside world, making them more adoptable.”

Woods also fosters kittens and said she is grateful for the opportunity to support Midlands Humane Society at home, too. She is a foster parent of new cat moms with babies and orphan kittens. MHS provides all the tools to become a successful foster parent: kitty litter, food, toys, beds, linens and medical supplies if needed. “The best part of being a foster parent is that I get to surround myself with kittens anytime I want!” she said.

Woods added that her work with the Midlands Humane Society makes her feel “so good.” That motivates her to keep coming back, she said, and “the people are pretty awesome, too.” Woods said she credits the camaraderie to shared passion, and that the hope the human team has for these animals is overwhelmingly

positive. “I guess you have to go in there and see it.” Who are your do-gooders? We bet you can think of people like these devoted animal lovers: people who have been extremely moved by a cause close to their hearts and lives. Tell us! Shoot an email to info@SHAREomaha.org or find us on social media. SHARE Omaha exists to be a conduit between nonprofit needs and public doing good. The best ways, we think, to spur that action is to inspire through telling stories of do-gooder actions and emphasizing that tiny acts of goodness add up to a healthy and engaged community.

Find your fit for volunteering and supporting the causes you care about at SHAREomaha.org.