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The appropriately-named ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) dates its existence to the day a cat got onto a baseball field just as a major league baseball game was being played. The cat was captured and randomly handed over to Coach Tony La Russa. That opened his eyes to the plight of homeless animals and the result is ARF, located in  Walnut Creek, California (about an hour east of San Francisco). ARF rescues cats and dogs from county shelters and finds homes for them. Sound easy? You should see the place – it’s the Lexus of animal help. The cats and dogs live in small rooms furnished with toys, furniture, brushes, and more. People are carefully matched with the animal whose personality fits the humans’ lifestyle. Many happy adoptions have occurred, and animals saved from death.

Because ARF doesn’t know the history of most of the animals, they assume they might have been feral (wild) or abused – who knows what? So volunteers are asked to visit the animals. After a little training in technique (I passed my cat-patting test with my first A+ since high school), the “socializers” enter each little room, sit down, and offer simple human kindness — brushing, playing, talking. Shy animals are left alone, but we’re allowed to stay in the room with them just to show we’re harmless. What to do while looking harmless….. Someone came up with the idea of the bedtime story, so now there are books in each room. The socializer can simply pick up a book and read aloud in a soothing tone. Now here’s the fun part: Each socializer/reader is asked to mark where he or she left off, so the next visiting socializer can start at that place. I know, I couldn’t believe that either.

Your community has homeless animals and shelters needing volunteers. Try it!

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