A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to get a pet and so I volunteered at the ARL for a number of months in order to learn about the different breeds of cats and dogs. It was an invaluable experience and really helped me to learn about dog behavior. I still serve as a cat foster from time to time.
The staff here have a tough and sometimes heart-breaking job. It's not for the faint of heart but they're all very nice and do their best by the animals and the people who come in to adopt and surrender the poor beasts.
Ultimately, I didn't get my doggy from the ARL (sometimes the heart doesn't get give you a choice) but my experiences there have really taught me a lot about animals and have only served to heighten my love for my 10yr old rescue pup.