Thank you for your consideration, Adam. There is no doubt there are a lot of people in need, but I've learned that sure puts an outfit like
Pet Adoptions of Cuero at the bottom of a long list. I can tell you how it settled in 2016; PAC received $50,000 in donations, but the problem is that there was $62,000 in operating expenses. None of that was food; local grocery sources ensure no money is spent to feed the animals but had PAC needed to buy food, the doors would have closed early in the year, That would be the case every year. The operating expenses are only what is necessary and a lot of repairs and replacements are always needed. The website can become a bit dated; they use Facebook and the community sources within it to promote what critters are available because it takes less effort for the volunteers to get animals posted.
I'm the only guy that volunteers, there was another that did but shortly after my arrival he fell and broke his hip where he works. This is one of the few times in my life that I felt I was put somewhere for a reason because the big dog barn is tough for the ladies to work. They do it the six days I'm not there, but I handle as many repairs as possible and a big weekly cleaning, but I also need to stretch that out to individual care for the dogs. Honestly, when I started, I thought the barn was unruly, and I now know it was. Dogs were allowed to move to an arena while their pens were cleaned but in general, the method and the dogs lacked discipline and my thoughts were that the big dogs were unadoptable.
My day there is a long one, I arrive early, so the ladies don't have to open up, and from there it has been 5 to 6 hours straight. I don't even stop to take a drink of water. I've started taking the time to walk each dog a ΒΌ of a mile on a leash off the property and down the highway. I end up walking them through a large machine/welding yard. All the noise and traffic is good for them as this is the sounds of a farm or ranch plus it puts them around men. They need contact with men as men have abused many. Despite the dog's size, they shrink or become aggressive in a male's presence. Last week I had 18 big dogs waiting when I arrived so you can do the math on how far a walk that is. I walk quick as I don't have time for it but I had a "come to Jesus" point a few weeks back when I was mucking pens. I come out to pay attention to the dogs, and that wasn't happening as I was too busy with the cleaning. I decided to start paying attention and let the cleaning and maintenance slide. If I could not get to it by 1 pm, oh well. Otherwise, I would not come out anymore. The attention to the dogs has paid off, they have manners when people come to look, and they are starting to move out.
It is tough for me to come and go and the bad thing is I pass the place every time I go to town and back. It's tough to hold a dog that has been there since I started as it probably is not going anywhere because of its size or age. I constantly tell myself that at least they are better off in our care, they have wonderful gals feeding and caring for them six days a week and only have to put up with me one day. My wife has been in the barn once and she doesn't know how I do it but I do it because I'm all they got when it comes to a guy.