When Tara Myers moved back to NJ from Illinois, finding an animal shelter where she could volunteer was high on her to-do list. Tara had been volunteering at shelters for many years, and even with a growing family to care for she was determined to continue helping out.

That was three years ago, and since then Tara has been a dedicated volunteer at St. Hubert’s; you can find her almost every Sunday morning cleaning in the kennels. It’s not easy work, but Tara puts on her rubber boots and gets the job done quietly and efficiently. She has devoted more than 400 hours to keeping the dogs comfortable and healthy. She cleaned until she was seven months pregnant with her second child, and resumed her Sunday morning shift not long after his birth. She is, not surprisingly, a favorite of the kennel staff.

When she can, Tara also helps at vaccine clinics. She enjoys talking to people at the clinics and seeing firsthand how grateful they are to receive help for their pets; she appreciates being part of a community outreach effort where the feedback is “so positive.”

Tara often stops by the shelter with her 5 year old daughter, who loves the cats.  And it makes her happy to check out who’s been adopted since her last visit. This busy wife, mother and dog owner (a 50 lb. mix named Tallulah) likes “being part of something big,” and is glad she found St. Hubert’s.  We are glad she did too.