Hurt and embarrassed over an assumption

[Germane Jackson]

I couldn't agree with you more, even my boss says that. She said that when she took the job she didn't realize that she'd actually have to deal with so many horrible people, as it takes away from the whole reason that everyone is there..to help the shelter animals have a better life...

And an update..I was just got cancelled for  my shift tomorrow via text ,no explanation, just that I was not needed tomorrow but I was still needed for Monday. So that gives me the impression HV is going to be there tomorrow and it's still not sorted. I have worked on Saturdays before and they usually do have extra volunteers on duty to make sure that the adoptable cat areas are all clean and ready before the first customer walks in. Oh well, maybe I'll just sleep in tomorrow morning

[sparksals]

I couldn't agree with you more, even my boss says that. She said that when she took the job she didn't realize that she'd actually have to deal with so many horrible people, as it takes away from the whole reason that everyone is there..to help the shelter animals have a better life...

And an update..I was just got cancelled for  my shift tomorrow via text ,no explanation, just that I was not needed tomorrow but I was still needed for Monday. So that gives me the impression HV is going to be there tomorrow and it's still not sorted. I have worked on Saturdays before and they usually do have extra volunteers on duty to make sure that the adoptable cat areas are all clean and ready before the first customer walks in. Oh well, maybe I'll just sleep in tomorrow morning

It sure sounds like they put the needs of HV ahead of those of the poor animals in the shelter.

[Germane Jackson]

That is what is upsetting my boss...the higher ups have put HV on such a pedestal she is on a major ego trip.She can say and do what she wants and nobody will say anything opposing to her.  The other day the shelter supervisor said to my boss, 'well, HV IS the next in command after you' and my boss replied 'Yeah, because YOU GUYS have put her in that position and she's taking it to her head and is trying to tell ME what to do'.

I won't knock what HV does, she cleans faster and more efficiently than anybody else, and she is very good with the cats, she's just not really good with people  She's an older lady and set in her ways so unless a certain hot place freezes over, I don't see her getting a wake up call any time soon.

What would happen if she's in charge and a customer comes in with a bad skin condition, would she turn them away because she couldn't bare to look at them or think they looked too scummy to adopt a pet?

[Oxymoroness]

Evil Oxy would be very tempted to walk over to HV on her new day off and give her a nice, big hug ... and then say, "Oh, is that a spot on your back?" 

Forgive her, Evil Oxy doesn't get out very often.

What would happen if she's in charge and a customer comes in with a bad skin condition, would she turn them away because she couldn't bare to look at them or think they looked too scummy to adopt a pet?

I imagine then the customer would complain and it would be your boss's problem. If your boss has any brains at all she'd make sure HV was in the back rooms as much as possible, whenever possible.

[Germane Jackson]

I am usually a good judge of character, and back in March/April I worked on her days all the time and I thought she was a very nice lady and I had a lot of respect for her. But it seems over the months they have given her so much praise and power (she is the only volunteer who has her own set of keys to the shelter) that her true colors have come out.

I am very curious as to why I got a text message suddenly cancelling me for tomorrow. Like I said, I don't really want to make a big song and dance, but I do want her to face me in person and see what she has to say .  It appears to me that she's still calling the shots and getting 'her way' and somewhere in her discriminating old mind she still thinks I have some sort of disease.

  Good idea..I could run up to her and say (((CRUD MONKEYS!, HV, It's been ages since I've seen you !!))) and then start scratching like mad.

[wonderdog]

Kitty,

Hugs to you and boos to HV and all the others at the shelter who made an assumption with knowing the facts and complained. what morons. I am happy that you didn't quit. The cats need you.

So many people engage their mouths before they put their brains in gear. On a much lesser note, I was standing in line a store a few months back, waiting to pay. Background: I was Dx with brain cancer Summer 2007. I have been through surgery, radiation and am still on chemo. (But I am alive and kicking yay me!) At any rate, the rads and chemo have made most of my hair fall out, necessating the use of a scarf to cover the thin and bald patches. So I invested in some beautiful scarves which I still wear. anyway as I was standing in line, the woman next to me turns and says "Oh you must be a biker." I just turned to her and used the line "What an interesting assumption on your part." Now there is nothing in my appearance that would suggest I am a "biker." I am a girly girl, and even though I was wearing jeans that day, I was also wearing pink sneakers, a pink & blue scarf, earrings and a gold bracelet, in addition to make up and lip gloss. She realized she had stuck her foot in her mouth and spluttered "well I just thought" I said to her "No that's your problem. You didn't think. You just blurted out the first thing that came to mind." It was now my turn at the cashier so I didn't say anything else to her. I just hope that people like her and HV grab a clue at some point in their lives.

[Germane Jackson]

Well, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself and was thinking about calling and making up some excuse why I couldn't make it in today. Just then, I got a phone call from another staff member saying that my boss couldn't make it in this morning and that they would pick me up. So I started wondering if they had also called HV up as they were going to be one person down. As far as I knew, it hadn't been sorted out yet and I didn't want to even be near HV today. It turns out they didn't call her, and they asked me to be in charge today instead and gave me a  set of keys and put me in 'charge' of the other volunteers, which made me feel a bit better. So I feel good that they didn't feel they needed HV to come in and 'save the day' and had enough faith that I could handle the boss's duties on my own.  So it does seem as if the general atmosphere has improved. I don't really care too much about what HV thinks, as in reality she is no more than I am, a volunteer. It may even get up her nose that she wasn't called in to take over, which makes me feel 

[Chicki]

Good for you Kitty!!!!

I'm also irritated that they told you that your services wouldn't be required while your boss is on vacation.  The higher ups should never allow that to happen, no matter what they think of HV.  What she is doing is discrimination just as much as if you were of a race she couldn't tolerate.  I don't understand why they don't get that and how inappropriate it is.  It's creating a hostile work environment and they are responsible to fix that - volunteer job or not.  As a PP said, it's illegal.

They really need to call her in, sit her down and give her a clue.  Right after they get one apparently.

Keep your head up.  You are obviously the better person and hopefully things will come around in the end.

[Germane Jackson]

It most definately is discrimination and it is over my (lack of ) skin color, and is very wrong on so many levels. Her other complaint about me was my bad use of language and she feels 'uncomfortable' around me. I talk to the kitties there as if they were my own and sometimes I'll use some Americanisms, like if a cat is being bad I'll say (in a joking, affectionate voice) 'You wanna knuckle sandwich?' and pretend to wave my fist, and similar things. It's very apparent I'm kidding and that I always pick the 'bad' kitty up and give her a kiss right afterwards. I also seem to think she has a problem with my nationality as well as my pigment problem. Basically, it was implied that she views me as American trailer trash because of the way I 'look' and 'talk'. She is the one who basically said I looked like a dirty bum. I do wear old clothes there because what is the point of ruining good clothes to clean out cat cages and boxes?

I suppose because she's such a valuable asset they put up with her prejudices and her high opinions. Yes she is a very good volunteer, there is no taking that away from her. I could be that in the future (knowing every area, in and out, helping prepare adoptees that are being flown to a new home, etc) As much as I like working with the cats, there are a few things about the way that place is run that puts me off. Whether she 'likes' me or not should be none of her business really. I'm there to work , the same as she is. I just can't believe she'd rather work with a woman who makes it obvious that she can't stand her than one who actually didn't have a bad word to say about her before.

My boss said to me the other day that there is a chance that I could be hired as a staff member in the future, as they do hire volunteers from time to time. However, my level of Spanish is not on a professional level right now, it's only basic. (We're in Spain, my first language is English). So if I work hard to improve my Spanish, I could be a full staff member some day...and HV would have to put up with me calling the shots.

HV is retired and has no grasp of Spanish so she would never be considered.

[Chicki]

ROFL!!!  Wouldn't that be karma biting her in the butt.  Her having to report to you...I LOVE IT!! 

If asking the kitties if they want a knuckle sandwich is her criteria for judging you...add me to the list of bad people(hey - at lease I'm in good company!!).  I've certainly asked my kitty that when she's being a little booger...LOL.  And, as you said - it's immediately followed by hugs and kisses.  I'm also with you on the old clothing thing.  Makes sense to me!!! 

Keep up the good work on the Spanish.  In the mean time, kill her with kindness and smile a lot.  It'll drive her crazy and make her look like the old meanie she is if she doesn't respond in kind.   

[Calypso]

KittyBass, just want to second the hugs, congrats on your new authority, and many many thank yous for taking care of kitties. I love cats and they add so much to life!

OT question: we just moved from our apartment complex to a house with a yard. We were part of a group of people at the complex who were feeding two feral cats who always hung out together. I wanted to catch them and move them up with me (all the other feeding people have moved). I caught one yesterday, but the second is being very leery of the trap. I think they would be happier together than separate from each other. Any advice for me on getting the fraidy cat to go into the trap? I've baited it with the smelliest things I can think of (tuna, chicken, etc) and put a blanket over the top they used to sleep on to make it less scary, but he's not having it. Any ideas for me??

[petal]

KittyBass  if you really like working there (except with the pain)  then let management know  you'd like to be 2IC  or a paid worker

[wolfie]

KittyBass, just want to second the hugs, congrats on your new authority, and many many thank yous for taking care of kitties. I love cats and they add so much to life!

OT question: we just moved from our apartment complex to a house with a yard. We were part of a group of people at the complex who were feeding two feral cats who always hung out together. I wanted to catch them and move them up with me (all the other feeding people have moved). I caught one yesterday, but the second is being very leery of the trap. I think they would be happier together than separate from each other. Any advice for me on getting the fraidy cat to go into the trap? I\'ve baited it with the smelliest things I can think of (tuna, chicken, etc) and put a blanket over the top they used to sleep on to make it less scary, but he\'s not having it. Any ideas for me??

Is this a humane trap? And is it cat sized? He might be leery if he saw his friend trapped. So you want to be very careful not to scare him away. You can try a box trap - where you wait around and once you see him in the box close the door.

Are you still feeding him in other places? Have the trap locked open and put the food closer and closer to it. So that he can go in and see it is not scary. Then when he is comfortable going in the trap you can set it. You can join

missingcatassistance on yahoo - there are plenty of people there with experiance trapping skittish kitties. I do think he will be happier with his friend.