Joy Bast is like any normal person. She has a full-time job, is a home owner and has a busy schedule. She is also passionate about animals and spends a great deal of her time interacting with them.
“Pets mean the world to me,” she said. “Since I have no intentions of having children, they are my kids. They bring me joy and bring down my blood pressure. It’s wonderful to have someone love you unconditionally.”
While there are plenty of pet owners who adore their pets, Bast takes it one step further. She not only provides a loving home for her cat, Dexter, she gives back and spends time with the animals that need it the most. You see, she is a volunteer at the Nebraska Humane Society.
“I have been a volunteer for a little over a year now,” Bast said. “I wanted to get out of the house, get some exercise in the winter and work with dogs. I absolutely love it. It is a truly rewarding experience and I get to meet some interesting furry friends.”
Bast does a little bit of everything when she goes to the Humane Society.
Titan is one of many dogs Bast has befriended.
“I walk any dog I want and depending on the age or needs of the animal, I will let them also run and play off the leash in the yard,” she explained. “It’s pretty awesome to be the first one to know if the dog knows how to play fetch and you get to learn how they play. When the walk or playtime is over, we write on the sheets what we have learned or know so that potential new owners can know a little about the dog.”
“I also do ‘kennel sitting,’ which is just me sitting in the kennel with the dog. They get human interaction skills and it really calms them down. It also looks good to potential new owners when they walk by a kennel and see a human sitting or reading to a dog. It makes it ‘real’ for them.”
The time Bast spends with the homeless dogs plays a vital role in finding their forever homes.
“I get to play a part in the adoption process,” she said. “I get to be one of the first to know what the dog can do, how the dog walks, how aggressive it is and what it likes. For example, we have dogs that play fetch, but won’t give the ball back so we write that down. They carry it back to their cage and they’re happy. It’s cool to know something about the dog that new owners can know. They can’t tell a human ‘I love my green ball’ or ‘I sleep with my stuffed rabbit’, but if we know that as volunteers, it’s something a new parent could know right off the bat. This makes it more special and easier on the dog.”
Bast is no stranger to the adoption process. She adopted her cat, Dexter, more than four years ago.
Bast with her adopted cat Dexter.
“I picked him out online first and when I went to NHS I couldn’t find him,” she recalled. “I went into the cat play room and there were five cats in there. There was one that came right up to me and started playing. When the adoption counselor came in, she scanned his neck and I found out that it was Dexter himself! The carrier was brought into the room and he jumped right in. Love at first sight! It has been a totally successful adoption. He’s absolutely wonderful.”
Bast urges others to help the overpopulation problem by choosing adoption rather than going to a pet store.
“Adoption should be the only way,” she said. “There are way too many furry friends that need a home and don’t need to sit in a cage. Furry children should be treated the same as human children. The only difference is that furry children can’t tell anyone. We have to be their voice.”
Bast continues to give homeless pets at the Nebraska Humane Society her most important gift, love.
“These animals just need a second chance,” Bast said. “If I can give them some love and provide comfort while they are awaiting adoption, then I have done my job.”
Bast, along with hundreds of other volunteers, is an inspiration to animal lovers everywhere.
“Unfortunately, the shelters always seem to be full,” she said. “There are plenty of friends that need a home or at least a volunteer’s time and love. We can all make a difference”
For information on becoming a volunteer at NHS visit them online at www.nehumanesociety.org.
show. Dogs in costumes will walk the runway in what is called “the run for wet noses.” Guests are asked to vote for their favorite dog by placing money in the dog’s canister.
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