Animal Rescue
Interview with Marisa Capuana, Veterinary Nurse
Marisa's love for animals began as a young child and developed even more over the years. At 23, she began working in a veterinary clinic in Essendon, as a Veterinary Nurse.
Her work when she was younger, as well as her experiences whilst volunteering at a local animal shelter, reinforced the need for more animal welfare groups in Melbourne. Marisa therefore used her huge passion for animals and their welfare, to set up her own animal rescue organisation, Second Chance Animal Rescue. The organisation works hard at rescuing and re-homing animals that are in need of a ‘second chance’. She hasn’t been able to resist taking some of her four legged friends home with her too, giving them a loving environment to stay in.
“There is still a lot of work to be done in the field.”
I began working as a Veterinary Nurse at a clinic in Essendon. In my spare time, I also volunteered for a local animal shelter. I learnt hands on how to care for animals and with my passion for animal welfare, plus the desire to do more, Second Chance Animal Rescue was born!
There is no greater feeling of accomplishment for me than seeing a dog or a cat that I have rescued and rehabilitated, find the loving home that they have always deserved. I love being able to make a big difference in an animal's life and making families complete with their new furry family members.
In animal rescue, there are many times that we have to deal with sad and confronting situations. As the years go by, you learn how to be able to handle these situations and not let them affect your work, by looking at the bigger picture, and always finding a way to make the situation better. Having a great team around you to debrief and talk about situations like these is always a great way of letting go and moving forward.
There is a lot more awareness about animal welfare now compared to a few years ago. People are a lot more cautious about where they purchase their pets from and are more aware about being a responsible pet owner. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in the field.
There are many challenging parts about my job, but seeing the sad reality of behind the scenes at Victoria's pounds is the worst part. However by running our rescue group, we know we are making a difference and not just letting it happen behind closed doors.
Volunteer at your local pound or shelter and see what happens behind the scenes. It is hard work, but extremely rewarding for those that are willing to roll up their sleeves and aren't afraid to get their hands dirty!