PHSPCA, not so humane to humans

One other thing we did this weekend was attend our volunteer orientation at the Peninsula Humane Society. I had the urge to volunteer here about a month ago and this was the first available orientation.

Let me just say, while they are great to the animals... to the volunteers? Not so much.

M and I showed up at the prescribed time expecting to complete our orientation in the 2 hours they indicated. We enjoyed the tour of the facilities, talked with the other volunteers, thought carefully about which volunteer positions we each wanted to do. But as the time started to run on and on and on... I started getting nervous. For a couple reasons, [1] We were hosting a BBQ at our house at 2pm, 90 mins after the orientation was set to end. Keep in mind we were still in our stinky gym clothes having gone straight from the gym in the morning to the orientation. We needed to shower and get the house/food in order for the BBQ. [2] I was STARVING like no other. I am pregnant, obviously, and need to eat regularly to avoid all kinds of nasty. I ate breakfast at 830am and worked out and it's now 1230pm and counting....

So when the group orientation breaks and we are supposed to watch a video, a woman raises her hand and tells the Volunteer Manager (basically HR for volunteers here) that she has a 1:30pm class in Palo Alto and given that we have to watch a 10 minute video and then do individual interviews after (there are about 35 people here), she wanted to know if she could skip the video and do her interview.

Then all hell breaks loose.

I am thinking the same thing. We need to get outta here because of the 2 aforementioned reasons and now I have a headache because I am STARVING and I have to pee so bad I want to rip the HR manager's head off.

About 4 of us go outside to discuss this issue with him and his helper in private. He proceeds to tell me that we have to watch this video and that we cannot do our individual interviews until after. Then each person launches into the committments we have, how we stayed here for now 2 hrs and 15 minutes and we gotta go! HR Manager is an asshole and doesn't give a shit though. When I finally get a chance to state my case I say, "We have been here for the 2 hours you said it would take. Is there any way we can do the interview over the phone during the week?" He says NO. "Is there any way we can do something over email?" He says NO. "Is there anything you can do to accomodate us? I mean, we came and stayed for the 2 hours and it seems a waste to make us come back and do the whole thing over in another month because we can't watch the video and wait to do all the interviews." He says NO.

D-I-C-K-H-E-A-D.

As soon as he says he can't accomodate us, the other woman still standing there with me spins off and leaves in a huff, saying "I just want to foster cats in my home. But I stayed here the whole time and now I GOTTA GO."

He runs off after her telling his assistant to just do our interview. However, in the process asks me "Well, where do YOU have to go and what time do you need to be THERE?" (tone is angry and condescending). I said, "we have another committment for which we have to get ready. I cannot stay here until 2pm to do all this stuff!"

Ok, let me just say this: If you, HR Manager, are going to get and keep volunteers here are things you should NOT DO:

1. Yell at your volunteers at their orientation
2. Tell them there is NOTHING you can do to accomodate their request even though they stayed as long as you asked them to (and longer)
3. Badger them into telling you what their next committment is and make them feel like no matter what it is, it can't possibly be as important as watching your STUPID ASS video
4. Tell them during the orientation that you regularly have to fire volunteers
5. Yell at your volunteers after orientation!

I cannot believe how poorly we were all treated. M was in the video room with the others when all of this went down, but when I relayed the story to him on the way home, he was outraged. First, during orientation the HR manager tells us that if we can't do the time committment or if we don't show up/call twice, we will be fired.

Ok, WTF? We'll be fired from volunteering??!

Then after he yells at me because I can't stay for another 45 mins for a fucking video and interviews, he freaks out and stomps off.

After much discussion at home, M and I decided to NOT volunteer at this organization. It sucks that we can't devote time to the animals like we wanted to and I hate SO much that we aren't going to help animals because of this asshole. But there are many other worthy organizations in the Bay Area who would gladly take our help without making us feel like pieces of shit.

Not to mention the fact that the PH SPCA requires a 1 year committment at 16 hours a month. Um, sorry. I actually have a life, a job and a baby on the way. I can't take another part time job right now from which I'll probably get fired because I have plans most Saturdays through July.

So, Brian Probst at the PH SPCA: f-you very much. You just lost your organization 2 very good volunteers. And until your organization finds themselves a new Volunteer Manager, we won't be coming back.

That is all.