Our "Best Friend" Honored Volunteer: Stephanie N.

Volunteer Stephanie N. with her dog
A huge help both at our center and on mobile adoptions, Stephanie's focus and dedication helps our pets find their forever homes
By Best Friends Animal Society
"Our Best Friends" is a weekly installment to honor just a few of our outstanding Best Friends LA volunteers. This is your chance to get to know some of the shining stars in the Best Friends LA volunteer program! Volunteers are either nominated by Best Friends LA staff or other volunteers in our program. If you would like to volunteer, e-mail the Best Friends LA Volunteer Department at volunteerLA@bestfriends.org
 
Stephanie N. - honored March 2017
 
Stephanie N. tell us.....
 
What programs and projects do you volunteer with at Best Friends LA?
I really enjoy working with the Adoptions staff in the Front Office and with Nicole and Jasmine on Mobile Events. I love seeing the excitement on adopters faces as they get ready to take their new family members home.
 
Why do you choose to volunteer with Best Friends LA?
When I moved to LA a little over a year ago, I had to leave my shy pup back in Pittsburgh with my family. I am unable to adopt a dog of my own right now so I volunteer my time to give love and support to the dogs still looking for their forever home.
 
How long have you been a Best Friends LA volunteer?
About a year.
 
What type of fun stuff do you do when you're not volunteering?
I am a scenic artist (I paint scenery for theater and film). Right now I work for the USC School of Dramatic Arts during the school year and spend my summers in upstate New York working for an opera company called The Glimmerglass Festival.
 
Do you have a favorite story to share about an experience volunteering with Best Friends LA?
I don’t think I will ever forget working with the small dogs at a mobile event out front of a Sketchers store. A women came up to look at the little guys and told me she and her husband had recently lost their doggy companion and were looking to adopt a new one.  We spent a couple of minutes talking about the available dogs and then she left saying she would return with her husband. When they returned less than ten minutes later, the husband took a look at the three dogs we had and without hesitation pointed at the shy one curled up in his bed. I told them that the shy guy would need a lot of patience and looked to the woman to see if she agreed with his choice. She smiled at me and said, "He can have whichever dog he wants.This dog is going to be his companion while I am in the hospital undergoing cancer treatment." It was a really touching moment that brought to light how much a furry companion can change a life, for both human and animal.
 
What others are saying about Stephanie:
"Stephanie is very helpful front office volunteer that is always willing to help in showing our dogs. She spends a lot of time volunteering with dog team and helping in playgroups, so she is always bringing great information to our clients. She is great at every task she takes on.  She is also very comfortable working with our cats. She is always looking to help." - Front Office Team                   
 
 "Stephanie is an AMAZING volunteer! She is incredibly reliable and we love that shes up for a challenge when it comes to handling the more rambunctious dogs on mobiles. She is willing to take on any task that we assign her and is always a team player!" From: Nicole & Jasmine - Mobile Adoptions          
 
"Stephanie has such a calming and confident presence about her which helps us SO much during hectic mobiles and crazy adoption days. She always seems cool, calm and collected even when she is handling screaming Aj on leash. As well as being a rockstar on mobiles, she provides help in the front office as well. We thank her so much for her focus and dedication to helping our kids find their forever homes." Chelsey