Animal welfare is my life but it's also making me lose my mind.

Author: Jessica Kooistra

  • The Siamese

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    After the big move to Florida, I started working for the sheriff’s department here. It was in the records department, five days a week, in an office building. I soon realized that I made a mistake. Why did I think I could work in this setting after my career with animals out in the field?…

  • Haunted

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    This morning I woke up at 02:45, wide awake, having a hard time processing what I had just dreamt. I was in the company of two ex-coworkers from the shelter. Someone had just brought us a large garbage bag full of live cats. We started sorting them out, deciding which ones we could put up…

  • Social Hour

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    Visiting the dog park is like walking through the halls of a high school. So many characters, so many personalities. Just like us humans, each dog has their own personality and tolerance level. Some are social butterflies; some are bullies and some are wall flowers. Since moving to Florida, Ruger and I have explored the…

  • The Move

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    How many times do you hear about people rehoming a pet because of a move? Or simply leaving them behind, and animal control having to be called. Life events and changes that don’t include the family member with paws. As I decluttered, sorted and donated the majority of my belongings these past two months, never…

  • The break that made me take a break.

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    It is 9am on a Friday and I’m sitting on the exam table at an orthopedic office. The doctor comes in, flanked by another doctor and a nurse, and tells me he has studied the x-rays of my foot. He confirms the fracture and tells me he recommends surgery. It has now been 9 days…

  • Winter

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    Suddenly I realize my hands are getting numb and release the grip on the steering wheel just a little. Breathe. A car swerves in front of me, and I tap the brakes a few times slowing down as I can feel the tires slide slightly. Not only is this careless idiot squeezing himself into the…

  • Priorities

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    You scroll through social media and see a post about a dog rescue desperately asking people to adopt. Another is asking people to consider fostering. Yet another is seeking donations to stay afloat. Behind all of these posts are countless dedicated humans who spend hours, days and years of their lives saving as many animals…

  • The thing about cats

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    They’re tearing around the basement, scaling the cat tree with sharp claws and batting the noisy ball around. A wrestling match ensues and the smaller one squeals as she tries to regain the upper hand. Then canned food is put out and both dive into the bowls face first. Humans domesticated cats about 10,000 years…

  • At The End.

    At The End.

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    You come home from work and your dog is excited to see you as if you left a year ago. You get home from vacation and your cat acts as if they thought you left them for good. Pets are part of our life, but to them we are their whole life. Humans have families.…

  • The Myth About No-Kill Shelters

    The Myth About No-Kill Shelters

    —

    by

    Jessica Kooistra
    in

    You find a lost dog in your neighborhood and ask friends for advice on what to do next. One person tells you to bring it to the animal shelter, another tells you absolutely not, they ‘will just kill it’. You contact a local rescue that is known to take dogs and are told they are…