Sights, Smells, Sounds

I got in! I got in!
 Today was my first day entering into the Durham Animal Shelter. As I waited in the lobby area I could hear tons of dogs barking. Once the volunteer came to pick me up and take me around everything became intensified. The smell was incredible, at some points it just smelled of urine and waste and near the door it smelled like a barn. I got there before the areas were cleaned so it was definitely at the smelliest and dirtiest part of the day. I was completely fine with that because it is the only time I have to photograph. It made me respect all of the volunteers because it is definitely a smelly and messy area. Last week around 6 pigs fell off a carrying cart and no one came to claim them so they are now being kept at the Durham Animal Shelter. It was interesting to go from a room full of cats, to a room full of dogs, to a room full of puppies, to a fenced in area full of pigs. The smells were all different and in some areas much stronger. I felt a little overwhelmed when I first entered the area with all of the dogs. It was really loud and it was a lot to take in. Each time we took a dog out of its holding area to take it on a walk all of the other dogs would get louder and louder and start jumping up on to the fence. I was thinking of how I would feel overwhelmed if I was the volunteer who had to walk the dogs. Every time she opened a cage to put the leash on the dog would go wild with excitement and jump all over her. It made me realize how desperate, excited, patient and well-awaited these animals are. She also brought up the fact that a dog may be in there all day and only get a 15 minute walk a day. Some dogs sometimes don’t even get around to be walked. Luckily, if a dog is not able to go on a walk that day, the next day it is the first dog to be walked! When I thought of what the dogs were thinking, I bet it was a very child-like half neurotic process of thinking. I bet their adrenaline pumped as soon as they saw someone approach the cage. I bet fits of excitement and curiosity passed through them as they saw someone come close yet walk on to another cage. I bet some of the dogs were desperate to get out and have their cages cleaned I saw multiple dogs that had their own feces all over their legs and feet and spread all throughout the cage. The dogs that I did see get leashed and brought outside seemed like they were going through a period of euphoria. I bet they felt SO appreciative and blessed. I bet they were thinking about how happy they were and excited to smell all of the plants and happy to feel all of the sunshine.
I will upload a photo as soon as I get off work!

This is my best picture from my orientation at Durham Animal Shelter. I like this picture a lot and I am proud of it. I am glad that I captured the face of the dog in good light and it is crisp and clear while the background is softly blurred, bringing the viewers attention to the face.