The ARL is available day and night to help homeless, stray and abandoned animals.  When we are not open, we have one on-call person available by pager.  But do you know what it’s like to be an on-call person working for the ARL?  I had no idea what they go through, so now I’m here to inform everyone!  I believe that the public needs to know what typically happens when a staff member is on call.  Honestly, it’s not a job I would want but someone needs to do it.

The ARL only has a few people rotating the on-call shift.  That means they are often on-call twice a week.  That’s a lot.  Keep in mind that when they are on-call, they have already worked an exhausting eight-hour day.  Frequently, they get several calls each night, so they will not get any sleep and they are expected to be at work for the next eight-hour day!  I could not handle this because I am unbearable if I can’t sleep!

Many people do not realize this but the on-call person is not sitting at the ARL waiting for phone calls.  They are at home. And if you know the ARL staff, they have lots of their own animals to care for at home.  Or they could be out for dinner.  Staff members live as far away as Sinking Springs and even Douglassville.  And, of course, they are covering all of Berks County.   So if someone calls for assistance with an animal, it may take them quite a while to get there. 

Why does the ARL have someone on-call after hours?  One purpose and only one: to help stray or injured animals that cannot wait until the ARL opens for business the next day.  On-call is not to be used to surrender owned animals and not for veterinary emergencies. Many people abuse the on-call number for these purposes and that’s simply not fair to the staff members. 

If you must call the ARL after-hours, all strays must be contained when we arrive; we cannot and do not trap animals.  If you trapped an animal yourself, it is your responsibility to bring it to the ARL.

The ARL is non-profit and operating on a shoestring so whenever an on-call staff member goes out on a call, it costs money to pay the person overtime, uses gas money plus wear and tear on the ARL vehicle.  Please, spread the word – the after-hours on-call number should not be abused and only used in a true emergency.