People Looking for a Sign Piss Me Off

So, it's been almost 6 months since I entered a shelter and I decided it's time to start volunteering again. I picked a no-kill shelter this time because after four years at an open-intake shelter, I was just burned out.

I went in for my orientation and everyone was really nice. The facility is beautiful and the cats have rooms they can roam around in and hang out. I was there almost 3 hours petting cats and taking their pictures and it's was mostly a great experience.

The part that I got angry about was a couple who came in looking to adopt a cat. They looked at a variety of cats and kittens. Some of the cats were super friendly, rubbing their heads against their hands and wanting to play.

In the end, they left saying "No one spoke to me. With my last cat I just knew, you know? I want that magic moment to happen and I just didn't feel it."

God, I've heard this so many times. People come to a shelter wanting some kind of Disney magical moment. They want an angel to come down from heaven and give them a sign.

Look, people, dogs and cats can't talk. They can't SPEAK to you. The way they communicate is through body language. When an animal comes to the front of his cage, touches you with his nose, tries to get closer to you, that's the best way they have of saying "I like you. I want you to be my person."

They can't sing you a song. They can't tap dance. But they would if they could.

You want magic? Here's how you create magic. You notice which animal likes you, ask yourself if you can give it a happy home, and if you can, you take it home.

The magical part is knowing that you took an animal out of a shelter and gave it a happy home. The magic is freeing up that kennel so the shelter has room to take in another animal and save its life. Magic is knowing you made a difference.

When you first ay eyes on a cat, you're not going to feel the same way you felt when you looked at your cat you owned for 15 years. You guys made 15 years of memories. It takes time to form that kind of attachment to a cat, and it won't happen in 3 seconds.

These are all the things I would like to say to the public.