Daniela

Throughout my life, I've had the experience of interacting with multiple animals. Some of them were my own and some I cared for until they could find their forever home. I volunteered at an animal welfare in Chile (@garrasypatas on Instagram) for over two years. During that time I got the opportunity of being the temporary home of over 15 dogs and cats. Some stayed for just a few days, while others lived with me for months. Their age was as diverse as their personalities. Some were just a few days old with lots of energy, while others were senior and calm. Some were friendly and eager to be loved, while others needed more time to get adjusted to their new life outside of the streets. This experience not only showed me the importance of being patient and perceptive of every animal's needs and times, but it also taught me some very useful skills. I learned how to walk different types of dogs, especially those who had never seen a leash before. I gave pills and liquid medicine to them, as well as cleaned runny noses and took care of eye infections. I learned how to socialise feral kittens to get them ready for adoption. Moreover, I learned to unconditionally love, accept and adjust to every single one of the beautiful beings that crossed my path. My work as a volunteer ended because I found two cats which became my own babies. One was very sick and weak when I rescued her and ended up having a neurological issue, which required me to focus much of my attention and resources to help her become the healthy and thriving cat she is today.