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Court sentence turns into labor of love for 15-year-old
By JAMIE JONES, Times Staff Writer BROOKSVILLE -- Christiana Donlon wears old blue jeans and glittery eye shadow. She has pink fingernails and one best friend and likes to socialize and write love songs. Last year, Donlon's idea of fun did not include filling water bowls and scrubbing cages at the Hernando County Humane Society. But one morning, the 15-year-old found herself there, chasing puppies with a pooper-scooper. Donlon had gotten into trouble at West Hernando Middle School when her friend brought a switchblade to school, which Donlon held for a while. As punishment, she got a 10-day suspension and 15 hours of community service. She chose the Humane Society. After a day with the dogs, Donlon walked over to the little cottage with 18 cages and a lot of mewing. Donlon spent hours in the cat house, changing litter pans, mopping floors and cradling kittens. By day's end, she did not want to go home. "Can I come back?" she asked. Of course, the employees said. To their surprise, Donlon did. Since her punishment ended in September, Donlon has volunteered at the Humane Society almost every weekend to help care for the cats. She has become one of the shelter's most dedicated volunteers, said Beverly Hansen, 63, who has worked there for nine years and is the feline cottage manager. "You know how teenagers can be," Hansen said, rolling her eyes. "But she's here, giving her time. She's very patient and has a way with animals. Some cats come in here and don't know how to purr. She holds them, they purr." Donlon quickly got accustomed to the place, learning the cats' names and dispositions. She learned that Punkin' sat for hours on a ledge beside the door, swatting visitors before flopping over for a belly rub. She saw that Schatzie and Sunny liked each other but no one else. That Misty Girl was a lap cat who needed cuddling. That Ernest Hemingway was sassy and pranced around. She learned that Moonshine and Starlight were sisters, and that Marshmallow was Jelly's brother. She saw that Eve was lonely, and brought her a little stuffed tiger, which Eve throws her paw around before she goes to sleep. Donlon began to love the Humane Society cats as much as she loves her own, a calico named Lamb Chop. "If I could, I would take home Pita and Misty Girl and ... well, all of them," Donlon said, bending down to fill a water bowl. "I love them. Don't I, Molly?" she said, stroking a cat who walked by. Donlon also learned that the women are very particular about their cats. "No, no, no," Donna Vollmer, 51, told Donlon after she put a pink blanket in a male's cage. "You're gonna make him look like a sissy." Males get red or green; females get soft pastels. Babies get little afghans. And the cages must be color-coordinated, with blankets matching litter pans. "They're a little obsessive about that," Donlon said. Donlon's mother, Kim, said she believes the volunteering helps her daughter stay out of trouble. "She really enjoys it," she said. "I think it's great for her. The women there are wonderful." Donlon said sometimes she still gets into trouble at school, mostly for talking too much or passing notes. "But I don't get in that much trouble anymore," she said. Donlon is trying to raise money for the shelter on Wiscon Road, which always needs litter and cat food. The Humane Society is a no-kill shelter that offers cat adoptions for $65. "I think I'll volunteer here forever," Donlon said, walking over to see why Catalpo was crying again. -- Jamie Jones can be reached at 754-6114. Send e-mail to jjones@sptimes.com.
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