Today we’d like to introduce you to Glenna.
Hi Glenna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started out volunteering to walk dogs when I was between jobs, which eventually grew into transporting animals for several rescues. Transporting to different rescues gave me the opportunity to meet people and learn what various rescues and shelter could take, which dogs and cats they preferred, and who had open space.
As I transported animals from rural areas in Kansas and Missouri, I saw firsthand how desperate those communities were to get pets into rescues where they’d have a better chance of adoption. I also found ways to solicit much-needed food and supply donations for rural rescues.
Over time, I discovered I had a natural talent for finding fosters and securing placement for dogs. I asked if I could take over an auction for Melissa’s Second Chances to make it bigger and better, and they agreed. I turned out to be very good at recruiting volunteers, soliciting donations, and overseeing several auctions that brought in significantly more funds than previous years.
I served as the Marketing and Public Relations Manager at Pawportunities, learning a lot along the way.
Today, I volunteer with Heart of America Humane Society as a foster coordinator. I also do some intake and social media for the dog side of the rescue, and serve on the dog leadership team. Occasionally, I help with special events, projects, or auctions, though I try to pick carefully so rescue work doesn’t completely take over my spare time alongside my full-time job at University Health. Seeing abandoned or surrendered dogs get placed into fosters and adopted makes all the hard work completely worth it,
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Rescue has a lot of ups and downs, and the more you do in rescue, the tougher you have to become. But one of my lifetime goals ever since I started working is to never become an angry, bitter woman. I try to deal with our fosters, volunteers, and supporters at Heart of America Humane Society with compassion, understanding, and positivity.
I will always go to bat for the things I think are important, especially if it involves our fosters or dogs. One of my biggest struggles is that I am good at a lot of things our rescue needs, but I have to find a balance so rescue work doesn’t consume my whole life. Right now, I am scaling back my participation and trying to set firmer boundaries on my time. Some days I succeed, and other days I don’t even make it to the shower until 2 p.m.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I volunteer with Heart of America Humane Society. We are a medium-sized, foster-based rescue that operates metro-wide, specializing in cats and dogs, though I volunteer mostly on the dog side.
We also do outreach in the community, bringing much-needed supplies and food to people for their dogs and cats while educating them about spay and neuter resources, local pet laws, and many other issues that arise during our rounds. We take requests and tips from the general public about who needs help.
I help with intake. Some of the dogs in our rescue come through our Outreach team, while others come from owner surrender cases and our rescue partners.
I recruit and work with fosters in our rescue. I am most proud of how much we have grown, the high quality of our foster homes, and how well we work together to find the right homes for our dogs—resulting in a low return rate. I love seeing dogs thriving and happy in their forever homes.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I tell peop[;e I don’t cook. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t. In another chapter of my life, I would have dinner parties for up to 8 people and I would make most everything myself. Some day when I retire I want to revisit that time in my life.
I also live with cats but work with dogs. Cats fit my lifestyle better.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://heartofamericahs.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glenna.menard
