Animal Shelter Volunteer: “Without Dogs, There Would Be No Life for Me”

“I cannot imagine my life without dogs,” says Jūratė PAPEČKIENĖ, Head of the Animal Raw Materials Purchasing Department at Krekenavos Agrofirma, with a firm smile. For four years, she has been volunteering at “Penkta koja” (The Fifth Leg), a homeless animal shelter located in Garliava and Linksmakalnis.

As soon as Jūrate appears, a wild tail-wagging contest begins, accompanied by the barking and howling of 50 different voices – it is the shelter’s pets competing for Jūratė’s attention. After setting down feed bags and cans weighing nearly ten kilograms, she goes to greet the four-legged friends: scratches their bellies, gently tugs an ear, lets them lick her cheek, and smiles into the eyes staring back at her. Her love for animals betrayed by their owners is pure and sincere.

– How did such a strong love for dogs begin? – When I was little, my father kept telling me how “cold” I was because I never kissed him or my mother. For my sixth birthday, he brought me a puppy from Vilnius and said: “Jūratėlė, I brought you a puppy so you would know what responsibility and love mean.” I grew up with that dog, Mikis, for 16 years. He died of old age.

– How did you feel after losing your first pet and teacher? – It was a terrible feeling. I am very sensitive to such things. Shortly after, I got my current dog, Duksytė. She is now 15 years old. Both Mikis and Duksytė were mixed-breed. I don’t care about the breed at all; mixed-breeds are the sweetest to me.

– How did you start volunteering? – I was studying in Kaunas and found out about a shelter. At first, I just brought food and talked to the dogs. When that shelter closed, I heard about “Penkta koja.” I asked the manager if they needed help. Volunteers are always needed. I started cleaning, feeding, and walking them on weekends.

– What was your first visit like as a volunteer? – Oh, Lord… I can honestly say that during the first days, I couldn’t see the road through my tears. I cried like a child. I would put food in a bowl, and my tears would fall right in. I couldn’t understand why there were so many abandoned dogs. It’s especially painful to see elderly dogs. They serve a human their whole life, and then, when they get old, the owner gives them to a shelter. It’s a total betrayal.

– Is there a story that shocked you the most? – It’s hard to see injured animals. We get dogs with broken bones from accidents. I personally drove several dogs from Kėdainiai to the shelter, including a pregnant female that had been hiding under balconies. We also have fighting dogs. One of my favorites, Indigo, came in a terrible state, covered in scars. I treated his wounds myself. Last Friday, Indigo was adopted.

– What is the work of a volunteer? – A volunteer cleans the territory and the enclosures. In winter, we put straw in the kennels to keep them warm. We check collars and leashes. We feed them and walk them. The joy when they see you is unreal – they wag their tails, hug you with their paws, and kiss your face! The hardest part is the illnesses and the losses.

– What does your husband think about this? – He has accepted that I’m not “right” without dogs (smiles). He occasionally helps out too. I wouldn’t give up dogs for anything. I even call the new owners to check how the adopted dogs are doing.

– 90% of new volunteers disappear after the first day? – Yes. Many young people think they will just come to pet a puppy. But when you give them a brush, a rag, and a bucket and ask them to clean the territory or wash the bowls – they disappear. I will never abandon these dogs.