Kelly Thompson was working at her corporate job when it just hit her: "I realized I couldn't bear doing something I wasn't passionate about for one more minute," she said.
Thompson had volunteered at an animal shelter in her free time and knew it was the one thing she could do day in and day out and never grow tired of it. "Animals have always been my greatest passion, so I changed my life and priorities in order to make it my career. It's the best decision I've ever made, hands down," she said.
"I never imagined my role at Felines & Canines would grow to be so diverse and involved. I started in a fundraiser/administrative role, which quickly grew to incorporate spearheading a million-dollar campaign to rebuild the shelter, expand our mission to include dog rescue, and subsequently manage our dog program, coordinate the intake of animals, work with adopters, fundraise and stay connected with donors, handle all of the glamorous administrative work, and get my hands dirty whenever possible.
"I'm honestly living my dream."
Her first day at Felines & Canines was July 8, 2010, and Thompson was admittedly "incredibly nervous," but also "so excited" to be working with Abby Smith, the executive director. "Her reputation precedes her and I knew I was getting the opportunity to work with someone who is a pioneer in the animal welfare world," Thompson said. "I remember sitting in our cramped office at the desk we shared talking about how we could do more for animals in need. A week later we were sitting at Andie's restaurant in Andersonville drawing our dream shelter on an oil-stained paper tablecloth. Less than two years later, we were moving into our new facility saving twice as many animals and doubling our adoption numbers."
Thompson said the best part of her job is simple: "Working with a woman who I admire and [I] love doing exactly what I want to be doing with my life," said.
Thompson admitted that the work-day never dies, which clearly is the worst part of the job. "I never completely shut off, which can be extremely draining," she said. "When you care so deeply about the work you do, and the lives of innocent creatures are at risk, you can never disconnect from helping whenever help is needed."
Thompson said her career goals are to never become complacent because the needs of the animal welfare community are constantly changing.
Felines & Canines is working on a major project to help thousands of homeless animals in a desperately impoverished portion of the United States, Thompson said. "We are in need of donors to help us make this project a reality. If you're interested in learning more and potentially supporting this project, email me at Kelly@FelinesCanines.org ."
THE STATS
-Age: 33
-Neighborhood: Andersonville
-Orientation: Partnered lesbian
-Job title: Director of Development at Felines & Canines
-Hobbies: "Decorating, compulsive cleaning, going to the dog beach, hanging with my animals and my girl"
-Pets: "Knuckles Thompson-Smith, our beloved shepherd; Bandi, our sassy Chihuahua; Moose, our massive cat; Moby, our tender cat; Moxie, our diva cat; and Quiz, our newest addition cat."
-Little-known fact: "I love talking to people one-on-one, but get unbearably nervous and self-conscious in group settings. I'd love to improve that about myself."
