Introducing Our October Volunteer of the Month
Please meet Bridget Hanafin, our OLAR October Volunteer of the Month! Around the rescue, Bridget is known as a “mangy” miracle worker. She has a passion for taking on pups with tough medical conditions and nursing them back to health until they blossom into happy, healthy dogs.
Here is a little more about Bridget, from Bridget herself:
I’m so grateful for the opportunity I have had fostering though One Love.. For years, I’ve struggled not knowing what my purpose in life is. I’ve always felt that God put me on this earth to do more. My biggest and best job for the past 16 years has been a Mom to the most amazing young man. As he got older and didn’t need me as much, the struggle of not knowing my purpose got stronger and really started to weigh heavy on me. I’ve volunteered with the homeless and struggling families needing the extra helping hand. I’ve donated platelets, I’m on the bone marrow list and have waited patiently for the call that never came. We as a family have volunteered at the Ronald McDonald house.
Still feeling like I hadn’t found my purpose, 3 years ago we signed up as a family to foster dogs. We figured we’d foster hospice since our dogs were older, but at the time the dog in need was a younger girl terrified of men. That was interesting since I was the only female in the home. We worked with her through her fears and taught her that not all men were bad and after 9 long months, lots of patience and love she was adopted into a family and is now the biggest daddies girl ever.
After a few more fosters, Karrie asked me to take in a dog with demodex mange to which I said, “OK if you think I can do it.” That day I went to her house to pick up the dog and she handed me 4 pages of instructions and a bag filled with different shampoo’s and medications. I can honestly say, I went into panic mode. I told Karrie, “I don’t think I can do this.” She looked at me and said, “you can it’s all written down for you.” She had all the faith in me and this dog needed me so OK I jumped in with two feet. I won’t say it isn’t more work than your typical dog or pup because it is with keeping the meds straight and the alternating of the shampoo’s and baths every 2 to 3 days, but it is so worth it in the end. The overwhelming joy you feel when you take this sick dog with little to no fur and he or she transforms in front of your eyes into this beautiful dog full of fur and life there is nothing like it. At that moment I was hooked.
I now take on the dogs with “skin issues.” Doesn’t matter the skin issue whether it’s allergies, mange, ringworm or bacterial infections I’m up for the challenge and I’m here to help these babies. I can now say I’ve finally after years of struggling I have found my purpose and my life is complete.
Bridget, all of our volunteers have a special story, but yours reads like a fairytale. The joy and purpose you have found in this extremely special work shines brighter than the stars. You have given so much, and we are so grateful to be part of your journey.
Interested in Helping Out Like Bridget Does?
Interested in becoming a volunteer with One Love Animal Rescue? Great, we always need amazing people like yourself! Whether you are interested in helping out by fostering, or are looking to help us man local adoption events, we always are in need of a wide range of volunteers! Head on over to our volunteer page and fill out our volunteer application. We can’t wait to hear from you.
