Pets are part of our families.
And losing one can be a terrible thing.
There’s one woman who’s been trying to reunite lost pets with their owners for decades and says she loves giving these pets hope.
Jean Baker has been volunteering with the Lubbock Animal Shelter for 36 years.
“I’m very dedicated to what I do,” Baker says.
And all those years she’s focused on one main thing.
“I don’t do anything else but work with lost pets,” Baker explains. “I get my box of lost cards and I go back in the kennel and I check the lost cards against what’s back there and I call the person if I see a possibility. I’m almost 80 years old and it seems like when people leave the card they’re handing you their responsibility.”
And she takes that responsibility very seriously.
“My main goal of the day is just one,” Baker says. “If I have success with just one, one a week or one a month, that would be my hope. Just one that doesn’t have to die.”
She doesn’t keep a tally on how many reunions she’s helped but she knows she’s making a difference.
“I’m grateful,” says Baker. “I love it. It’s like fixing a puzzle and putting it together.”
And that keeps her coming back week after week; bringing a little hope to families who are missing that one piece to their puzzle.
“I love to come out here,” Baker says. “It’s not a chore. It’s not a job. It’s my whole life.”
If you’d like to volunteer at the Lubbock Animal Shelter contact them at (806) 775-2057.
The Volunteer Center of Lubbock is a great place to start looking for volunteer opportunities, too.
Call them at (806) 747-0551.