Breaking the Barriers of Language
(Luis and Marisol photographed at Dakin's main entrance)
When people come to Dakin Humane Society, there’s a need to be fulfilled. They may have a pet who needs medical care at our Pet Health Center, or surgery at our Community Spay/Neuter Clinic, or they may want to warmly welcome a pet into their family through adoption. Whatever the reason for their visit, they need to be assisted, and we need to understand each other.
Massachusetts has a population of about 6.6 million people, and of that, 10.3% of the population doesn’t speak English as a first language. In most cases, they speak Spanish fluently. Considering that Hampden County has an especially high population of Spanish-speaking people (26%), Dakin has, for several years, ensured that bilingual members of our team are on hand to translate conversations. At this point there are eight bilingual (Spanish/English) employees who can step in and help our visitors by having conversations that offer assistance and convey how our services and programs can help them and their beloved pets.
One of them is Luis Roche. Currently the volunteer coordinator, he started working at Dakin about 18 months ago as an animal resource counselor (ARC). One of an ARC’s primary duties is to assist with adoptions, and talking to clients to help them connect with an ideal pet. In Luis’ case, he would often be pulled into a series of other conversations serving as a translator about topics ranging from basic veterinary care to a pet’s quality of life and whether euthanasia should be considered in treating them.
“Those are hard conversations,” he noted, “but it’s all about the kindness of someone being there for our clients, speaking their language, when they’re having a tough time. That’s what I hold on to, being the person who’s there for them in that moment.
Marisol Lopez is a veterinary technician, and has been asked to translate countless conversations between staff and Spanish-speaking clients in her 8 years at Dakin. “It’s very important to me to help people who have nobody to help them in those moments,” she said. “I want them to understand the medical information they need to know and not be in the dark about procedures involving their pets.”
She continued, “Years ago I received a letter from a man I had helped by translating a conversation for him. He expressed such gratitude, and said he hoped I’d be there for others with pets who will need the same guidance.”
Every day at Dakin there are Spanish language messages in emails and voicemails requesting assistance, and clients who don’t speak English at the door with questions about procedures. When Dakin can connect bilingual staff with our Spanish-speaking clients, barriers are removed. They can learn about the programs and services we offer that will help their pets stay healthy and with their families.
Luis warmly remembers helping a Spanish-speaking couple who arrived on a busy Saturday looking to adopt a dog. “They weren’t sure what type of pet they wanted, and I had a dog on a leash who had just had a visit with other people. The couple asked for 10 minutes with this dog, so I put them in a room together. They were really enjoying themselves. When I returned, I saw the perfect match. They were on the floor and playing together. I think my being there, and speaking Spanish, helped make it the smoothest possible adoption for them, because they didn’t speak a word of English. Just to have the same language helped make it the perfect match. We went through all the steps, and they went home with the dog that day. About two months later they returned, with their dog, just to say thank you.”
It’s important for Dakin to be able to understand the needs of our community, especially when languages aren’t the same. As Luis noted, “People come from diverse lives, and we want to meet them where they’re at.”