Research and Working EQ

Content:

(1)  What is your working EQ?
My working essential question is:
How do you get people to be responsible pet owners?

(2)  What is a possible answer to your working EQ?

•  Making them and potential pet owners aware of the number of animals that are brought to the shelter (stats), and laying out all the possible reasoning of why that happens
• Teach them the basics of what makes a responsible pet owner
• Also make them aware of puppy mills and why not to buy "pure" breed dogs

(3)  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 
The most important source I've used that has helped me come up with an answer to my working essential question most definitely has to be my volunteer work at the shelter. Some of the stories and backgrounds I've heard of the animals and how they ended up there are really something. My first interview was also very essential, because that's where the question was created. Officer Murphy is an HLE Officer himself, so hearing first hand stories was helpful.

(4)  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?
My mentor is Elana Blum, who is the humane educator and pet therapy coordinator at the Pasadena Humane Society. This relates to my working EQ because, as I said, I get to hear and interact with some animals that really have a story to tell. Also because I've been volunteering at the shelter, I'm able to ask question s and talk to different staff members, which all share the same passion for help these animals out.

Photographers Find Forever Homes for Dogs .

Published on Dec 26, 2012

In Los Angeles, volunteers are saving animals' lives with photography and sharing on social-media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Meet the people behind this new animal movement that has a 94% success rate in getting pets new forever homes

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I chose to share this video because I actually was actually given the opportunity to take on this sort of job. In previous posts, I've shared photos of a different dogs. An example was one named Kitty, who was immeditately adopted after the photo I took of her was posted up on her kennel card. Let me refresh your memory:

 

"One Picture Saves a Life" 

Meet Kitty! Right after we placed this photo on her kennel card, she was adopted the next day. It shows how great she is with people and children. Everyone around her was smiling. 

 

Independent Component 1 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

For my 30 hours, I plan to continue on working with Elana (my mentor) at the Pasadena Humane Society. During my summer mentorship, I contributed in helping run a seminar for young teens, which just taught them things here and there about the shelter and different animal projects that were currently going on. For my 30 hours, we might have something planned out. If not, I will continue getting experience with working in the shelter with all the animals, which includes learning about the different behaviors and personalities each individual has, and so on. 

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I'm a huge fan of take videos and photos. So, through those two methods, I will definitely be showing my 30 hours of evidence.
I have loads from this summer posted on instagram.  

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth. 

By continuing to volunteer at the shelter, as I've said before, I will be exploring through things like the different animal behaviors, what is required to adopt an animal, the individual stories of the animals, ect. This is crucial to my topic because I will come across both animals and people with different personalities and behaviors. Some will be more aggressive than others, and I have to learn the correct way to handle that through first hand experience.  

Welcome to the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA

This video provides a background of the Pasadena Humane society, which is where I've been volunteering.

Second Interview Questions

1. Who is your mentor and where do they work?

 My mentor is Elana Blum, also known as the humane educator and pet therapy coordinator at the Pasadena Humane Society. 


2.  What five questions will you ask them about their background?

• How exactly did you get here? What inspired you to get into this field?
• Were you always an animal lover? 
• If you weren't in this field, what other career would you have tried getting into?
• With all the animals that come in the shelter, some even being too ill, do you get emotional over them? How is your mental stability? 
• Has there been any change since you've worked here?

Blog 5 Project Reflection and Working EQ

The Pentagon:

(1) Positive Statement: What positive thing happen as a result of what you have completed so far?
A posititve thing that has happened as a result of what I've completed so far is that I have a much greater knowledge about what goes on in an animal shelter. Also, I did my interview, and that opened my eyes and ind to the reality of what the daily life in this career is like.
 
(2) EQ Content:  Pick a piece of research or your interview.  How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?
As I mentioned above, I have already done my interview. After talking to Murphy, I realized what a risk and what an adventure this career takes. There are days where the HLE officers could be saving a kitten. However, on other days, they might be dealing with rattle snakes.
 
(3) What has worked for you so far in the senior project?
What has worked for me in the senior project so far is actually all the research I've been doing and reading up different articles that involve these animal cops. It better prepares me for what I may have to deal with in the future, if I continue to go down this path.

(4) What hasn't worked so far? 
 I don't thinking there's anything that hasn't worked. I've been stress-free.

(5) Finding Value: 

•  What is a potential question you would like to study this year?  (working EQ)
  A potential question I would like to study this year might be what Greg Murphy (interviewee) had told me: "How do you get people to be responsible pet owners?
•  What do you plan to do for mentorship?  If you haven't found a mentor yet, then discuss where you are currently looking and who you are talking to to find it.   I can't go on ride-alongs just yet. However, once I turn 18 (this year), I definitely plan to do so. For now, I'll continue going to the shelter and doing what I can there.

Importance of Pictures

During my summer mentorship, I was also given such the great opportunity to bring my camera and take photos of a handful of dogs for their kennels. Capturing an amazing picture of these shelter animals is so, so important. It's an opportunity to offer a glimpse into their unique personality in hopes to make a connection with potential adopters. After all, there is the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words."

When a dog or cat arrives at an animal shelter, it's often scared, dirty and disoriented. Their photo is taken, and this photo is the face that people see when looking to potentially adopt a pet. An inaccurate headshot can hurt its chances of adoption, but an uplifting, hopeful portrait can save its life.
We all believe that every homeless pet should be represented with a positive, professional photograph,

"One Picture Saves a Life" 

Meet Kitty! Right after we placed this photo on her kennel card, she was adopted the next day. It shows how great she is with people and children. Everyone around her was smiling.