The family that plays with the animals together stays together -- at least on Sundays.
That was Mary Lowry's thinking when she signed up herself and her three daughters to volunteer at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.
"At home, everyone's doing their own thing like watching TV or playing outside," Lowry said. "This way we get to do things together."
Mary, Amanda, Lynsey and Rachel Lowry, who live in Jackson, have spent every Sunday since April 1996 exercising, feeding, cleaning and playing with the dogs and cats at the humane society. During the winter they line the cages with blankets. On rainy days when they can't take the animals out they'll stop by with treats.
The work keeps them busy and even 11-year-old Amanda and 10-year-old twins, Lynsey and Rachel, got tired after keeping track of three energetic puppies on a hot Sunday afternoon.
Mary Lowry said the work is rewarding but a little stressful at times. She keeps track of most of the dogs that come through the humane society.
"Sometimes we'll ask if a dog has been adopted. Sometimes they'll say, 'Yes it got adopted by a good family,' or 'You don't want to know,'" Lowry said. "Sometimes I just don't ask."
Lowry said she is approached by people who are interested in whether the kennel has a certain dog on hand. She said she sometimes goes to her friends and tells them the humane society has an animal they should adopt.
She said volunteering once a week keeps her from getting too attached to the dogs. There was one that was boarded for six months as a special case.
"We walked it every Sunday and got attached to it. It didn't get adopted," Lowry said. "You get to the point where you realize you just can't save the whole world."
Lowry said her daughters hate to miss coming out on Sundays. Even if the weather is bad, they'll sometimes make the trip.
She said none of them has ever been bitten by a dog at the kennel, "that's probably a little unusual."
Valerie Becker, a humane society employee, said volunteers are vital to the kennel because they do things the regular staff doesn't have time to do.
"We are so short-staffed that we need help all the time," Becker said.
Becker said the animals are treated well while boarded at the kennel. They're exercised, bathed, given treats and attention. She said some of the animals that are brought in are given better treatment at the humane society than where they came from.
Becker said 22 junior volunteers, those 18 and younger, work at the kennel. There are more volunteers at the kennel during the summer than at other times. The humane society also benefits from volunteer organizations, fraternal organizations at Southeast Missouri State University and those people ordered to do community service hours by the courts.
Becker said she started working at the kennel as a volunteer five years ago. She was hired as an employee in January.
Regardless of the number, Becker said the humane society is always looking for more volunteers.
"All they have to do is come in and sign up," she said.
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