I've been working at my childhood home county's animal shelter for 2.5 years. I wanted to work here my whole life. I started November 2019 and found my perfect match and the perfect place to heal from an abusive, miserable desk job. The work was hard and stressful but I was so full of joy and enthusiasm. Everyone was so nice, and helping the animals feel better and go home was my greatest happiness. I was in the best shape of my life and kicking ass.
Early 2020, a coworker started bullying me. Long story short it eventually got dealt with but was definitely not handled fast enough. But then the bully was gone and I was like, ok, now this job is perfect!
Then, of course, I was furloughed for covid. But the unemployment benefits were huge and then I had time to move to a new place! I'm even kinda lucky bc I got to spend my childhood dog's last weeks with him. When they finally called me to come back, I was ecstatic.
For a year, we were closed to the public and my job became perfect for me. I'm autistic so the break from customer service was a godsend. Now everything was even MORE perfect!
Then they hired the new executive director.
Ever since, this dude has fired 4 people (there are only 40 of us) because he “didn't like them.” The people who carry this place on their backs are being manipulated, exploited, and gaslit at every turn. They're hiring new people at $15 and I make $12.50. Even the slightest dissent is met with termination and a smear campaign to turn everyone against the former employee.
ED: You get paid, what is everyone's problem? I'm here 6 days a week too!
Me: Yeah, but you get to sit down.
ED: I WISH I didn't sit so much!
During shutdown, we had no ED and did everything ourselves. We kept our population down and focused on animal care. We were all afraid but we stuck together, damnit. We did it all and we got thru and the animals were healthier and we all felt like human beings.
Now we're being forced to keep “inventory” (how the ED horrifyingly refers to our animals) at pre-covid levels with less staff and volunteers. We're open to the public and it's total chaos. I used to complete independent projects like reorganizing the entire storage room. Now I have to hide in the bathroom in the fetal position because my mind, body, and spirit are ground to dust.
Only people in the “cool girls” clique get promotions. Us lowly laborers keep the damn animals alive AND do all the customer service but we're not worth a living wage. All the rules are unwritten so we're all in constant fear of unexpected punishment.
I find myself thinking things that I can't believe are real. I used to cross the street to pet strangers' dogs. Now I'm close to outright hating them. I'm so tired of being deafened, bitten, concussed, pissed on, dragged into walls.
FWIW, I got to become part of the cat team this year and am now a fully obsessed Cat Person. They are perfect and do nothing wrong. I plan to try and stay on a few days a week and just care for the cats. And I did have a great time here and my coworkers are amazing.
It just sucks major butts that this guy has come in and ruined my dream job for me. Yeah it was kinda toxic before but it was doable. Not any more.
I wanted to give my life to this place. I wanted to be the person who innovates and starts new programs and changes lives. Now I spend the day seeing how long I can stay out of sight. RIP dream job.