One day, Valladolid’s CAM (a public center who receives people with different type of handicaps) got in contact with us to ask us a visit to the shelter. It was our first educational experience, and for that we were nervous. Would we face the experience as it required it? We accepted the challenge, and proposed them to come to the shelter one morning and meet all the animals living there.

Seven kids with different handicaps, but who could manage on their own, came with three of their instructors. The visit was to last an hour, hour and a half, so that the kids wouldn’t get too tired. But because the experience was so pleasant, it ended up lasting one more hour. What have we done on that time? Don’t worry, I’ll try to tell you with all the details:

Once we said hi at the door, we went to the garden, where as many of you know, and for those of you who don’t I explain to you, there are various free Galgos and several closed areas where different dogs live. At first, some of the kids didn’t want to get in, dogs inspired respect to them, but when they saw their friends caressing the dogs who approach them, they didn’t think it twice. The kids were moved, and our dear dogs too, for both of them liked the caresses and the gratifying sensation that someone likes you.

Once they enjoyed the garden visit, we went walking to where the cats live. There the atmosphere was already different: we had relaxed after seeing the kids and they were euphoric because they wanted to see more animals. We visited our cats, explained to them what they ate, where they slept, how they played and replied to the many other questions they made us.

Then came the time to visit “Mapi”, our raccoon, the hens, turkeys, sheep, pigs... And the stars: THE NICE DONKEYS. The kids could feed them with some tasty carrots, which they love, they could look at them from very close, and, of course, stroke them, always with our help. After that we went back to the door so that they could go back to Valladolid.

I’m sure that they won’t forget their visit to Scooby, for many of them didn’t want to go back to CAM. They had loved the donkeys, and more so being able to feed them. But if one thing I know, is that we won’t forget them, the shine in their eyes when they were getting in the van, and of those whoops every time one of our animals would approach them.

So, after such a pleasant experience, and after overcoming our fears from the first day, all of us in Scooby wish that this will be the first of a long list of them.

SEE YOU SOON

María

----- Original Message -----

To: Scooby

Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 9:46 PM

Subject: agradecimiento

I’m Begoña, one of the monitors who was last week at the shelter with the kids from CAMP. I write to you to thank you for your warm welcome, and the generosity with which you shared your job and the great work you do with us. It was an enriching experience for me, and I’m sure it was too for the kids. They enjoyed it very much.

Once again, thank you very much, and congratulations for your job.

Begoña