Love for animals is paramount

16 March 2017

Blonde woman is Yvonne. Photos: Sandra Warnier

I meet Yvonne Overmars (54) on a dreary Monday evening behind the
screens of the Animal Ambulance Amsterdam. “Can the interview on”
“I want to stay on standby for this position.” Together with her colleague Cora Brouwer (46), she will be volunteering tonight from 6 pm to 11 pm and will be the first point of contact for callers. She became a volunteer during a period when she was not employed, but she enjoyed it so much that she decided to continue doing it alongside her paid job.

Animal LoveYvonne has always had a special feeling for animals. “And when you can do volunteer work with animals in the spotlight, that is truly inspiring.” This also seems to be the case for all the other volunteers, who number around 120. The accommodation of the Animal Ambulance is professional, the team spirit radiates commitment. There are five ambulances ready, and, somewhat surprisingly, they are operational 24/7, with over 12,000 ambulance rides annually.Hectic and surprisingAt times, it can get quite hectic. “It’s difficult to predict when a peak can be expected, but that variability is also part of the charm.” And varied it is. The variety of reports is very diverse. Runaway animals, animals hit by cars, young helpless animals. “And the responsibility is quite significant.” And that is indeed the case: because with the first report, a decision must be made on what needs to be done and whether other emergency services need to be contacted.Young pigeonOf course, besides dramatic events, there are also many fun anecdotes to tell. For example, a lady called to say her cat had passed away and she didn’t know what to do. She was advised to put the cat in a box to bury later. When the Animal Ambulance contacted her the next day, she revealed that in the middle of the night she had been licked and cuddled by a cat. By a cat. Her own cat! In the box was a complete stranger.

Even the report of a pigeon in the attic turned out to be a humorous story. A young pigeon had hatched in a caller’s attic, and the ambulance staff took the bird outside. There, the pigeon first stood at the edge of the Westlandgracht as if it were a duck, then later climbed vertically up a tree trunk. It all turned out well in the end.

It is also very rewarding to make people happy when their pet is found. And that also gives us all a great sense of togetherness.

Find SolutionsFor all animals brought in, an attempt is made to find a solution. There are contacts with veterinarians, with shelters for all kinds of animals, from ferrets to birds, from dogs to reptiles. Even with deceased animals, an effort is always made to find the owner (often through the inserted chip). Sometimes they are even placed in the cooling room and later laid out for the owner. Mediation for cremation is also not avoided.Solidarity“It is also very nice to be able to make people happy when their pet is found. And it also gives all of us a great sense of unity, as a team we solve cases.” And that is what makes this volunteer work so meaningful.

Become a volunteer?

Interested in becoming a volunteer at the Animal Ambulance? A course in Animal First Aid will start on March 21, 2017. Check out the vacancies at [link].Volunteer Network.Text: Jan Barnhoorn

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