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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / November 2005shelter volunteer afraid of bringing home viruses,etc.
Hi all, I'm new to the group. I've got two cats that I adopted from my wonderful local shelter and now I'd like to volunteer there but wish to take all precautions to prevent bringing home diseases to my guys. I plan to keep a change of clothes and shoes in a bag and change in the shelter restroom before and after visiting the cats there. I will launder the clothes separtely with some bleach. Also I will wash my hands of course and use the antibacterial stuff they provide for between cats. I've just updated my cats booster shots. I tend to be a bit germ-phobic but don't want to be too paranoid--one has to live also. (Sound track: Madonna "We are living in a bacterial world, and I am a bacterial girl!")Are there any other folks out there who have done shelter volunteer work? What sanitation measures did you take? What was effective? How worried about this should I be? I can't help myself...I really love to pet them shelter kitties. Is this selfish...should I just stay at home? Whaddaya think cat lovers? Thanks, Furfin > Hi all, > I'm new to the group. I've got two cats that I adopted from my [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Thanks, > Furfin If you really love your own cats, then how could you do such an insensitive thing by placing them at risk in this manor? Is it really that important to your ego to 'prove' yourself by taking this chance? Unbelievable that you would do this (and then come in here trying to clean your conscience). What of your own family? Don't they deserve a little of that same concern? IBen > If you really love your own cats, then how could you do such an > insensitive thing by placing them at risk in this manor? Is it really [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > IBen where'd you get your cat(s) shut up then > > If you really love your own cats, then how could you do such an > > insensitive thing by placing them at risk in this manor? Is it really [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > shut up then Don't talk to me. You're girlfriends will get mad at you for disobeying the laws of the pride..... IBen > > > If you really love your own cats, then how could you do such an > > > insensitive thing by placing them at risk in this manor? Is it really [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > IBen that's right, no-one's allowed to talk to IBen- he's an Evil Troll Who Must Be Killfiled Immediately Upon Sight. And then insulted in usenet after killfiling. and then insulting anyone who doesn't killfile him. so Watch Out. > If you really love your own cats, then how could you do such an > insensitive thing by placing them at risk in this manor? Is it really [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > IBen wait a minute ya'll, IBen's got a new rule: You can only work at a shelter so long as you don't personally own any cats. No matter how bad you want to own a cat, this is the price we all ask that you pay. YOU work at the shelter and provide these wonderful cats to us! > Hi all, > I'm new to the group. I've got two cats that I adopted from my [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > hands of course and use the antibacterial stuff they provide for > between cats. I've just updated my cats booster shots. That is sufficient. I did almost the exact same thing, and never have transferred even a kitty cold to my own crew. And I worked with extremely ill cats dying of things like FIP - nasty, nasty stuff! > I tend to be a bit germ-phobic but don't want to be too paranoid--one > has to live also. (Sound track: Madonna "We are living in a bacterial > world, and I am a bacterial girl!") LOL...you sound just like me. I make up new lyrics all the time. >Are there any other folks out there > who have done shelter volunteer work? What sanitation measures did you [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Thanks, > Furfin The biggest thing to remember, as well, is to wash your hands and arms between cats, if this is not a policy at your shelter. Also, report any cats that you suspect might be sick.* I treated each cat as if they had something communicable. If I got slobber on my shirt, for example, I'd wash the spot with antibacterial soap before doing anything else. Good luck and have fun - it will be one of the most rewarding things you have ever done in your life. :) -L. *One volunteer said she never reported cats she thought might be sick because she didn't want the cat to be euthanized - dumb, dumb, dumb! So she essentially put the entire cattery at risk because of her ignorance. > Hi all, > I'm new to the group. hello! hahaha >I've got two cats that I adopted from my > wonderful local shelter and now I'd like to volunteer there but wish to [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > hands of course and use the antibacterial stuff they provide for > between cats. I've just updated my cats booster shots. Germophobic? Shelters? Naw, you can't say that on here. Believe me when I say, you have just wadded some fruit of the looms Never say anything negative about a shelter: (true or not see...) :0 Some folk on here prefer to have their heads in the sand? hehehe > I tend to be a bit germ-phobic but don't want to be too paranoid--one > has to live also. (Sound track: Madonna "We are living in a bacterial > world, and I am a bacterial girl!")Are there any other folks out there > who have done shelter volunteer work? What sanitation measures did you > take? What was effective? How worried about this should I be? Bacterial Girl, For shure. > I can't help myself...I really love to pet them shelter kitties. Is > this selfish...should I just stay at home? Whaddaya think cat lovers? > Thanks, > Furfin Sounds like fun, I have never worked at a shelter, I think I would want rubber gloves when handling a juicy cat. Why not get a big can of lysol spray and keep it in the car, and when you get in the car, just hit your pant legs, maybe a bottle of hand sanitizer I get that way after I have been around midgets Your bottom of the shoes will be the biggest culprit. I wear latex gloves when working with our sick or quarantined animals which we do in the beginning till the cats get tested. Our shelter has the no water hand cleaner in dispensers all over the place. Before I leave I give my face and hands a through cleaning. Before I enter my house I take my work boots off and take the antibacterial spray to them. Just in case I throw my work clothes into the wash and take a shower before I mess with the children > Your bottom of the shoes will be the biggest culprit. I wear latex gloves > when working with our sick or quarantined animals which we do in the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > and take the antibacterial spray to them. Just in case I throw my work > clothes into the wash and take a shower before I mess with the children You can also carry antiseptic wipes to wipe your shoes. My shelter keeps these just outside the door and just inside the door of the rooms where animals who are ill or quarantined are kept, and anyone entering or exiting has to wipe their shoes and hands. Thanks for the feedback cat lovers! I think perhaps one of you is not serious...to the others, I really appreciate your responses, tips and experience. Purrr... Furfin > Thanks for the feedback cat lovers! I think perhaps one of you is not > serious...to the others, I really appreciate your responses, tips and > experience. Purrr... > Furfin purrrr? i bet they'd like you reeeaalll good over in anecdotes, they so saweeeet to each other! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeee Your right one was a troll but we either kill file them or ignore them and get a good laugh. Glad we could help you quite a few of us out here are active shelter workers and volunteers > Hi all, > I'm new to the group. I've got two cats that I adopted from my [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Thanks, > Furfin In addition to the other suggestions if you want to be really careful: 1. put on latex gloves before entering then remove them and wash your hands upon leaving? 2. perhaps wear a labcoat or something like it over your clothes? Before leaving place them in a bag after removing them (with the latex gloves on). |
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