Clare Murphy

Clare Murphy was looking forward to starting her volunteering as a kennel attendant at St. Hubert’s in February of last year. She, her husband, and their rescued 7 year old boxer/lab mix Dolly had recently moved to the U.S. from England, where Clare had volunteered and then worked at a large animal shelter.  But a slip on the ice resulted in a broken wrist that put her kennel cleaning plans on hold. Not deterred, Clare offered to help with administrative tasks in the volunteer office, where she worked quickly and efficiently to clean up the database. Once her wrist was healed Clare turned her attention to the kennels, and she has been a valued twice-a week-volunteer there ever since. Enthusiastic, warm and friendly, with a charming English accent to boot, Clare has become a favorite of kennel staff. She is also a welcoming presence to new volunteers arriving for their first kennel shifts, graciously guiding them through the cleaning process, one that she genuinely enjoys.  “I love leaving the dogs with a lovely, clean kennel,” she says. “It gives me a lot of joy.”

Clare’s volunteering extends beyond kennel cleaning. She also walks dogs and supports adopters with follow-up phone calls. But her heart is in the kennel, and she’s been impressed with the cleanliness of the shelter (due in no small part to volunteers like Clare!) and the quality of care the animals receive. “The staff really care, and they are there for the right reasons. And it’s a friendly, great place to hang out!”