Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 20, 1995 TAG: 9503210032
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Age: 13
School: Central Elementary School, Low Moor
Year: Seventh grade
What she does: Kristin volunteers once or twice a week at the Alleghany Humane Society's animal shelter in Low Moor. She cleans the cages, walks the dogs, brushes and grooms them and sometimes feeds them. Best of all, she plays with them.
Supervising a playful litter of puppies takes vigilance.
``You have to watch where they go and keep count of all of them,'' Kristin said.
``I can't really play with the cats,'' she said, but she lets them out of their cages a few at a time so they can get some exercise.
``I started to volunteer there because I've always liked animals and like to be around them,'' Kristin said. ``When one of my cats was killed, being at the shelter helped me get over it.''
Kristin has participated in several pet food drives, volunteered time to raise money and taken part in the Christmas parade.
During Be-Kind-To-Animals Week last May, she won the bronze medal, awarded to the child, age 6 to 13, who shows extraordinary kindness toward animals. She was also the outstanding junior volunteer.
``Kristin is an exceptional 13-year-old who shows a lot of love toward animals,'' said Kathy Ross, manager of the shelter. ``She was really quiet when she first came, but she obviously liked caring for the animals. She is good at taking direction and understanding procedures.
``With adult supervision, we can trust her to groom and walk the animals and do other things to help out. She has taken the initiative to do not only what she's been asked, but also to do more. Kristin's become very outgoing and responsible and can supervise younger volunteers.''
Kristin doesn't always leave the shelter empty-handed. She and her family have adopted several animals from the facility and presently have four cats and four dogs.
School activities: Kristin is a cheerleader for her school's football and basketball teams and sings in the glee club.
Future plans: Kristin's love of animals has grown since she began at the shelter. She wants to become a zoologist, ``a doctor of a zoo,'' when she gets older so she can turn her love for animals into a career.
Obstacles: ``Animals can sense when you're afraid of them,'' she said, ``so you have to show them you're not. The only dog I was ever scared of was protecting her babies."
Also: ``Some of the dogs are really big and try to drag you when you walk them.''
The dogs and cats at the shelter may come and go quickly and sometimes it's hard for Kristin not to get attached to them.
``One week they'll be there and the next they might have been put to sleep or adopted,'' she said. ``Sometimes I get so attached to the animals I don't want them to be adopted, but I know it's better for them.''
When a dog that had been at the shelter for a month or so was adopted, Kristin was happy, yet sad at the same time.
What she's learned: ``Some people think animals are all the same, but they each have different personalities.
``If people want to adopt an animal, they have to know how to take care of it. Some people brings dogs and cats back a few weeks later because they didn't know what they were getting into, they didn't know how to take care of them.''
Extra Credit nominees must be 12-18 and volunteering of their own choice. If part of a group, the teen must have initiated the activity.
Send in the teen's name, age, phone number, what they're doing, for how long, and how it has helped someone else. Include your name and phone number. Mail nominations to Extra Credit, c/o Features Department, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010
This twice-monthly column spotlights a teen-ager who is using his or her own initiative to make a difference in our neighborhoods, schools and communities. We think they deserve a public thank-you for helping other people. Nominations are sent in by our readers (see guidelines below).
by CNB