Tim began volunteering this Summer and has shown as a super-star volunteer. He is great with our dogs; giving them lots of love and teaching them basic skills that will help them in their new homes. Fellow volunteers have commented on how great it is to watch him get dogs to sit while waiting to come out of their kennels or before going outside. Thank you Tim!
When and why did you begin volunteering at the APS?
I began volunteering with the APS at the end of June 2012 and my reasons are simple. I am not working at the moment and I wanted to give my time to a good organization. I love working with animals, especially dogs and when I started researching what animal shelters were near the Durham area I found the APS.
You do so much for APS. Tell me about your job here. What do you like most?
My job consists of taking out the dogs for a 10-15 minute walk (depending on temperature) and teaching the dog how to sit, to react when their name is called and how to interactive with people. I give the dog treats when they obey a sit command or if I call their name and I run backwards and they follow me. I also give them some “cuddle time” which is where I give them head rubs, belly rubs, etc and see how they react to that. They always enjoy it…but who wouldn’t! J
What animals do you have at home?
I have one dog at home (My wife Julie’s dog!). He is a beagle mix and turned 9 years old (in human years) this year. He has a youthful face and everyone expects him to be a younger dog, so most people are surprised to hear that he is a senior citizen. He is a very calm, loving dog. He loves affection, especially getting his belly rubbed and really loves going on walks.
Are there any stories about a particular animal here or anything else you’d like to share?
I always have lots of stories when I interact with the dogs at the shelter but the one that stands out to me is a female pit bull cross called ‘Brittany’. She can look like a intimidating dog when you first look at her. She is all white and looks like a strong dog to walk…and she is a strong dog BUT when you walk with her you realize how loving she is and one day I walked out along the trail and I wanted to give her some “cuddle time”, so I started to give her a head rub and then a belly rub and as I was rubbing her belly she slowly lay on her side, putting her head on the ground and seemed so relaxed. I enjoyed the moment and felt like she trusted me enough to relax her body for those few minutes while I was giving her a belly rub.
Tell me a little about what you like to do when not here, including work or previous work, family and any hobbies you have.
I am from Ireland and I married the love of my life (Julie Wood who is American) at the end of June 2012 and now I have been happily married for nearly three months. When I was working in Ireland I worked as a Business Analyst with a large financial institution, so I am hoping to continue my career in a similar field here in the US.
I have one brother and one sister and both are younger than I am. They, along with the rest of my family are all living in Ireland in a place called Tralee, which is in County Kerry (South West Ireland).
I am a very sporty person and I love being active. I played Gaelic Football (aka Irish Football) for years when I was in Ireland and I recently joined a Gaelic Football team in Raleigh, NC – www.raleighgaa.netai.net, I also play tennis, I cycle, I swim and I run. I have participated in several triathlons and my most recent one was in Wilmington, NC on September 22nd 2012. I also enjoy listening to music (mainly Rock, Indie Rock, Blues, Blues Rock, Irish), going to music concerts and I play guitar from time to time.
