We're back - it is still morning at HAWS. And now, on to the cats!
The caregiver cleaning the cat areas begins by taking all adoptable cats out of their cages and placing them in suitable carriers. Blankets are taken to the laundry and water dishes and toys to the kitchen to be washed. Litterboxes are completely emptied and taken to another room to be washed. Newspapers lining the cages are thrown away. (Incidentally, we're always in need of newspapers, and other cleaning supplies.)
Theses cages, like the dog kennels, are also soaked in a disinfectant and let sit for at least 10 minutes. After they are rinsed with water they are soaked in bleach for another 10 minutes, and rinsed again. Each cage is squeeged to make sure it is dry, and then lined with newspapers. Clean litterboxes, blankets, dishes and toys are placed back in the cages - followed by the cats. The carriers the cats were in are then cleaned and set up for the next use. The same process is repeated in the stray cat holding room and the medical/isolation cat room. The whole process takes up to 4.5 hours.
When the kennels and cat areas are cleaned, each caretaker goes on a 30 minute break to eat...and rest! But, the cleaning process continues at noon, starting with the 2 caretakers going through and giving each dog fresh food.
Fortunately, by this time another worker has arrived to help out. This worker will go through and give all the cats in each room a plate of tasty wet food as a treat. After, they go back and clean up each cat cage and give all the dogs fresh water. In the meantime, the 2 original workers split with 1 taking care of the adoptable dogs kennel and the other taking care of the stray and isolation kennels. Dogs are taken out again to do their "business," food is picked up, fresh water is given, and clean blankets and toys are handed out.
This process of feeding and straightening up needs to be finished by 1:00pm when the kennel doors open up to the public for viewing. Thankfully there is usually a volunteer who will come in and clean the housing for any small animals that may be in the shelter. If not, the kennel workers need to fit this into their routine as well.
Over the next 4 hours, the dogs are rotated in and out on 45-minute intervals. Caretakers also need to keep up with miscellaneous duties such as laundry (up to 35-40 loads/day), dishes, preparing outgoing animals for adoption and settling in the new residents, filling litterboxes, and keeping the building clean and the animals clean and comfortable. The cats are checked on once more before the kennel closes, being given another treat of wet food and cleaned out again.
And then it all starts over again the next morning...
By the way, don't forget you can see Meteorologist Rob Haswell from Fox 6 and his HAWS kennel adventure - click on this link to watch his adventure!
