MY WORKING LIFE - Jenny Chapman, RSPCA

Mrs Chapman has managed Orange’s animal shelter for eight years and admits it’s the toughest job she’s ever had.

Often working 10 to 12 hour days, she says her passion for animal welfare has helped her confront some of the difficult realities of her line of work.

“I’ve always had a strong interest in animals and animal welfare issues,” she said.

“I ask myself every day what it is that keeps me here because it can be a heartbreaking job at times.

“But you’ve got to try to focus on the positives.

“I guess it’s the feeling that you are making a difference and are doing something to care for these animals.”

In her daily work Mrs Chapman is responsible for both the care of the animals and the shelter’s administration.

She works with staff who also volunteer their time out of hours to provide additional care.

The shelter often houses up to 200 dogs at one time as well as cats and other animals.

As many as 180 dogs pass through the shelter each month and animals are euthanised daily.

The number of animals surrendered always peaks in December when people change jobs or go on holidays.

“We get up to 180 dogs through the shelter per month but we don’t get 180 people looking for them,” Mrs Chapman said.

“So the challenge is to find homes for them and alternative ways of finding homes.”

Some of the methods the RSCPA has used have included developing online profiles for all of their animals and transferring animals between sites in the hope they will find a home elsewhere.

Animals initially surrendered in Orange have found homes as far away as Brisbane.

The RSPCA has also continually called on pet owners to have their pets desexed but the message doesn’t always get through.

Mrs Chapman says facing the reality that not every animal will find a home has not become easier in her time at the shelter.

“It doesn’t get easier,” she said.

“You get frustrated because the solution is quite easy: get your animals desexed.”

Mrs Chapman says she does her best to focus on the more heartwarming aspects of her job.

One of the more touching stories she remembers is of an elderly couple who surrendered their cats when the wife was diagnosed with cancer.

“They were going to have them put to sleep but we were able to hold them for three months and they came back in after her surgery,” Mrs Chapman said.

“I can still see her face when she saw those cats and how the cats responded when they saw her.

“They didn’t forget their mum.”

Mrs Chapman also provides foster care to animals and has a growing menagerie of pets at home.

At last count she and her family had nine pets including a couple of dogs, cats and a horse.

Mrs Chapman confesses that the family pets are “spoilt rotten”.

“I think animals just give so much to you,” she said.

“It’s unconditional love.”