Volunteer Spotlight

Sue King - A Knack for Making Great Connections

A law firm accountant by day, an AKC obedience judge by night, and a tireless canine placement volunteer around the clock, Sue King still finds the time and energy to run marathons. Some years back, Sue attended an Our Companions meeting at which Chief Executive Officer, Susan Linker was recruiting volunteers, and as she puts it, "How could I not be inspired by this dynamic woman and her dream?"

Sue has been the accountant and administrator for the law firm of Howd, Lavieri & Finch, LLP, in Winsted, Connecticut , for 17 years, but her life has always included dogs. "As a child I would visit the Hartford dog show every year. I would watch the dogs in the ring, but I would also visit all of the 'benched' dogs and make sure they each got treats. I now know that was bad news for the handlers who were trying to bait less hungry dogs in the ring, but I sure enjoyed meeting dogs that were so happy to see me."

Perhaps as a result of those early experiences, Sue has been an AKC obedience judge for over 25 years now, traveling to competitions all over New England. German Shepherds and Dobermans are two of her favorite breeds, and she has shown her own dogs, DannyBoy and Sadie, as well.

Wearing her Our Companions hat, Sue responds to calls from people looking to adopt or place dogs. She also runs the Our Companions Avon PETCO adoption event twice a month and assists with other activities, as well. "I have a great love for animals," she says. "To be able to help these beautiful creatures find permanent, stable homes gives me immense joy. Placing them is a team effort. With dogs, it can take as many as five volunteers working in various capacities. For example, Marie Joyner makes the initial evaluation of every dog, which then allows us to make the best adoption match-up."

Great match-ups are Sue's specialty, says Susan Linker. "Sue is unbelievably resourceful. She is so motivated to get dogs out of shelters that on her own, she will sift through every dog pound in Connecticut to find a breed of dog that has been requested by a caller. Her knack for making great connections is quite extraordinary, and she is absolutely tireless. I'm sure you could find Sue on her cell phone at 11:00 p.m. trying to help out a client. Astonishingly, she seems energized by the work she does … always smiling, always mellow. She's a real canine savant."

Can Sue's type of tireless commitment last? Yes, indeed, according to her. "A wonderful opportunity has been handed to me to help build a sanctuary which will provide the opportunity for so many creatures to find new and better lives. I don't see myself walking away from something I've looked for my entire life."

If you would like to find out more about our volunteer opportunities, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@ourcompanions.org , or telephone (860) 242-9999, ext. 1.

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