Longtime HAVA Shelter Manager Lisa Carlson resigned on Tuesday, August 13 due to a personal health problem. Carlson had given several years of dedication and service to the shelter, and now handed the shelter duties over to new Manager McKayla Smith, who previously served as the volunteer and cat adoption coordinator.
Carlson, according to HAVA Member Dee Roberts, had been planning for her eventual retirement from the position and had already been training Smith as her successor. The only part of the plan that changed was it happened two years early.
Smith is poised to take over the new role and introduced two new volunteer and cat coordinators, Crystal Seay and Shayne Moseley, who took over the positions Saturday, August 17. The duo will work together to cover the positions and have been training with Smith to learn the duties and responsibilities.
On Saturday, August 17 Smith sat down with the Herald and spoke about her journey of joining HAVA and the impact it has had on her. She discussed the ups and downs of the job but emphasized the satisfaction and happy outcomes the shelter strives to make.
Herald: Was there a reason you decided to become a HAVA volunteer?
Smith: I lost my dog. I had a chihuahua who had teeth surgery. He made it out of surgery and had a reaction to the medication and got sick. I rushed him to the vet and he couldn't be saved. I was depressed and I was very sad. I didn't want my animals to feel my sadness too because I know they felt it so I came to HAVA and poured all my emotions into here.
As I said I fell into depression and I also came down with two ailments and could no longer work as a CNA. Dealing with the loss of my dog and trying to find my self-worth and my own niche on how I could be useful other than being a mom. It was important to me and that's how all this came about.
Herald: Now that you've become the manager have you reflected on the difference between the positions?
Smith: Being the volunteer coordinator is different than the shelter manager. The volunteer aspects are, of course, finding volunteers. It's making sure you have every shift covered. It's making sure that if it's not covered you are covering it. Shelter manager involves all the vet care. You take all the cats to the vet. You make sure they all have vaccinations. You make sure they each have flea medicine. You make sure everyone is healthy. You bring cats into the house. You make sure everyone is trained properly.
There is a huge difference between the two positions. It's a good difference. I already have a medical background because I was a CNA before. It's not much different than taking care of humans you just have to know the difference between what a cat is trying to tell you and what a human is. A human can speak and a cat has a different way of speaking. There is a big difference.
Herald: Your transition to shelter manager happened sooner than expected. You have also moved through other positions prior unexpectedly, correct?
Smith: Me becoming the shelter manager was unexpected because I was a volunteer for the past two or three years. I was coming in, volunteering my time, cleaning and then went from that last summer to 'how about you do the volunteer coordinator position' and last week it was 'hey by the way Lisa is stepping down so we want you to manage the HAVA House.' I was like okay.
Herald: What do you love the most about being a part of HAVA and the work you do?
Smith: The satisfaction of finding them the right home. That is my favorite part. I love to see the progress that the cats make especially when we get ones that are semi-feral. I love to see that. I like to find the cats the perfect match. That is my favorite thing to do because when I am doing that I know they are never coming back to the shelter and I know they are never going to be alone. I know they are never going to be dumped. That is my favorite part of HAVA.
Seeing the progress the cat makes from the time they come into the shelter till the time we get to adopt them out and finding that right niche for them. That to me is the most satisfying thing out of this whole process.
Herald: Is there anything you would like to say to the community about HAVA?
Smith: For me, it's please be patient with us and realize we are a small nonprofit and we do a lot and we need the help from the community to keep going. We need people to understand that we are small and we do a lot even though we are so tiny. Remember that we are here and that we need help.