Posts
Hello everyone,
I have received some info from someone offering help with birds or turtles/tortoises if the need arises. Also, this person has pet supplies to offer if the need arises.
If you are wanting to connect with this person, please send me your info and I will forward it on. Thanks!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
This is Luna
This is Luna; our latest rescued cat.She came from Wild Horse Ranch Rescue. I know...this is a horse rescue, however, when the founder moved onto that property there were 62....count them 62 cats roaming about! She had lots of fun rounding them up, getting them sterilized, vaccinated, and what have you.
Luna was part of a litter born in 98' on the ranch that actually had only about half of it survive. She is a very strong kitty to have made it through the trials and tribulations of living outdoors on a ranch all these years. She's got a bit of a limp in the rear-end is all.
We brought her home in 2005 while I was working as a volunteer there. Those of you who appreciate "animal communication" would understand when I say that she came up to me one day and asked me for help. I went home and told my husband there's a kitty at the ranch asking me for help...can we? He said yes without any hesitation.
You see how furry she is? Well, while at the ranch they would periodically shave her down. When I met her she had massive bald spots all over her body due to a serious flea infestation, and malnutrition. Nowadays, we have loads of fun getting 3 or 4 of us together and either combing out knots, or clipping excess fur around her butt. Lately though, I can do it by myself. I bought a special stainless steel comb that gets those knots out pretty quick. She gets only a little annoyed. I guess she's gotton used to the routine.
Oh, the malnutrition? Gone. She's put on weight, and it's all muscle. She's thriving happily with daily servings of a little Orijen dry, and some meat-packed canned food, with a bit of organic whole milk here and there. She's got our male cat beat by 3 - 5 pounds. When he comes around her to do his tormenting antics she turns into Jackie Chan. Ka Poom! Body slammed in the wink of an eye. He doesn't know what hit him. He is finally getting what was coming to him. I guess she learned a thing or three living with a bunch of cats and horses on a ranch.
When I stopped my regular volunteer duties at the ranch in 06' the cat population was down to about 10 cats living there. However, I'm told it has been creeping up again. The latest number is at about 20 or so. It's hard to get an exact count.
Yes, they show up on their own, but people have been dumping them there too.
Anyway, there are current efforts going on now to build an outdoor atrium for them. That will at least keep them safe from the street.
If any of you are interested in learning more about the kitties from Kitty City at the ranch or the horses at Wild Horse Ranch Rescue, click on the link to your left, and that'll take you right to the barn!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Rescue operation
These are all good ideas left by the last poster. I have to especially agree with the home visits. This is the most important aspect of the work that many if not most rescue organizations leave out.
I think that the problems arise when there are a lot of volunteers running an organization, and there aren't enough in leadership positions who can figure out how to run things as if they were running a successful corporation. After all, that is what a non-profit is......a corporation.
I also understand that it is hard to turn away volunteer help when you need that help!
But, if the rescue considers that things would run smoothest by cutting out those who create or add to problems rather than help to do away with them, thus creating an environment that allows for more animal placements, it's easy to then see why turning down help from those who don't "help" is a better idea.
The other area where rescues find problems is in the emotional entanglements that the people involved find themselves in. Unfortunately rescue work is one of those complicated things that wouldn't exist if it weren't for the emotions of the people. It's a vicious cycle: People breed animals out of emotions, they buy animals out of emotions, and they rescue animals out of emotions.
On top of that other emotions that have nothing to do with the animals are also involved. For example, I noticed that rescue organizations attract many people who have something missing in their lives, and they are seeking some sort of acceptance from others regarding this. They turn to rescue work to get some kind of therapy out of it until they recover from what ever it is that is causing this problem for them. That's fine if that actually works for them. And I have seen that actually work for some. The problem comes in when the volunteer makes their problem a problem of the rescue. Of course this spills over into how they deal with the animals under their care, and to how they deal with the people who might adopt them. It becomes all about them rather than about the animals.
One or two people in leadership positions would see this going on and nip it in the bud before it starts to control the group.
Perhaps the organization could have one leader organize and lead the volunteers, and another could oversee the operations; i.e., the time management, the returning phone calls, the picture taking, etc.
Does anyone else have any good ideas regarding this?
I think that the problems arise when there are a lot of volunteers running an organization, and there aren't enough in leadership positions who can figure out how to run things as if they were running a successful corporation. After all, that is what a non-profit is......a corporation.
I also understand that it is hard to turn away volunteer help when you need that help!
But, if the rescue considers that things would run smoothest by cutting out those who create or add to problems rather than help to do away with them, thus creating an environment that allows for more animal placements, it's easy to then see why turning down help from those who don't "help" is a better idea.
The other area where rescues find problems is in the emotional entanglements that the people involved find themselves in. Unfortunately rescue work is one of those complicated things that wouldn't exist if it weren't for the emotions of the people. It's a vicious cycle: People breed animals out of emotions, they buy animals out of emotions, and they rescue animals out of emotions.
On top of that other emotions that have nothing to do with the animals are also involved. For example, I noticed that rescue organizations attract many people who have something missing in their lives, and they are seeking some sort of acceptance from others regarding this. They turn to rescue work to get some kind of therapy out of it until they recover from what ever it is that is causing this problem for them. That's fine if that actually works for them. And I have seen that actually work for some. The problem comes in when the volunteer makes their problem a problem of the rescue. Of course this spills over into how they deal with the animals under their care, and to how they deal with the people who might adopt them. It becomes all about them rather than about the animals.
One or two people in leadership positions would see this going on and nip it in the bud before it starts to control the group.
Perhaps the organization could have one leader organize and lead the volunteers, and another could oversee the operations; i.e., the time management, the returning phone calls, the picture taking, etc.
Does anyone else have any good ideas regarding this?
Thanks for sharing your experience on how you got Charlie Long Dog! Obviously the convoluted way it happpened was meant to get you all together! And he is of course much happier now.
Also, keep up the good work in feeding him the best of foods. That goes a long way in preserving a long-lived, disease-free companionship with our animals.
If anyone wants tips or resources on how to find the best of foods to feed...just ask!
Also, keep up the good work in feeding him the best of foods. That goes a long way in preserving a long-lived, disease-free companionship with our animals.
If anyone wants tips or resources on how to find the best of foods to feed...just ask!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Room for Improvement : 10 Ways to be A Better Rescue
1. If your going to post pets up for adoption on a website like petfinder.com make sure you include a detailed description of the pet AND how someone should apply.
Why? Not everyone will go searching for hours on every single rescues page looking for what to do. Some will just decide it's easier to buy a dog at the mall! Yuck!
2. Take GOOD pictures. Seeing pets in good condition (not being held) and in several different ways and in good lighting makes a difference.
Why? I skipped all the posts that had no picture because I can't gauge the personality, size, color, or breed mix. I don't want to drive to New River, AZ just to look at a dog that I might not like. This explains why pound dogs don't get adopted because the pound doesn't normally take pictures or post descriptions. Also, black dogs need lots more attention in the picture dept. It's a well known fact that black dogs get adopted WAY less than other dogs. Tie a bright bandanna around the pet's neck and lead them outside and engage in a fun game to bring out their personality and snap away!
3. Yes, you posted on petfinder.com but I still need to go to your website. Is it easy to navigate? Can I find the email addresses quickly? Is the application in PDF or Word form? Does the site look professional (not fancy-professional)? Do you have success stories and policies that I can read?
Why? Petfinder.com is a stepping stone for you in adopting out a pet, not an ending point. A good pet owner will research the rescue. If the page doesn't look professional then your efforts will look a little faded and superficial or slapped together. I'm not saying spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy site, but make it easy to navigate with lots of pictures so we can get a feel for the people and the organizational skills of the rescue. There's nothing worse than an unorganized rescue.
4. Call/email people back!
Why? Not calling/emailing gives people the feeling that you didn't like their application and discourages them from adopting a pet. Also, it's unprofessional. A day or so of silence is ok, but throw us a bone and let us know that you at least RECEIVED the application so we don't keep sending it to you, thinking you never got it, or calling you every other day. If you need to hire someone for just that reason then do so!
5. Fostering animals is a great way to keep expenses down, but it also leaves room for foster parents to think they "can manage" with 10 animals because they've become so attached. Limit the number of animals per foster parent and make sure the foster parent know what they are getting into BEFORE they decide to foster. It's all well and good until someone really is interested in adopting them and they have to leave.
Why? Charlie was in a house with THIRTY dogs. He is a very shy animal. The foster mom lived in an HOA neighborhood with a three dog limit so Charlie NEVER got walked. He didn't even know what a leash was. And when I adopted him on accident she was very upset because she got so attached to him. I felt bad, but, Charlie was in a house with THIRTY dogs. That's WAAAYYY too many for such a shy little dog. I bet she would be surprised at how his personality has blossomed at being an only dog.
6. Although the application may seem like something you don't need to pay attention to, or just "paperwork", it's actually very important for both parties involved. It let's the adoptee know how serious a rescue you are by the types of questions asked (AKA how much you care) and it let's the adopter get to know the potential adoptee better by the types of answers they give. It gives you a chance to go back over the paperwork if you're a busy rescue to remind you of this person. The more questions you ask the better (but don't go overboard).
Why? I filled out an application that was just a page long with boring questions like my address, name and phone number. The best one I answered was three pages long included necessary information like my address etc, but also had questions like: Had I ever owned a pet before? Why did I want a pet now? Had I ever given a pet away? Why? It was just long enough for me to give informative answers that showed I cared, but not long enough to make me think they didn't want ANYBODY to adopt their animals. Some applications just give you a feeling that they distrust everybody.
7. Home visits. As much as they may be a pain in the butt to organize it's very important. It's actually the only bad thing the rescue I adopted Charlie from did; they never gave a home visit. They just assumed where I lived was ok.
Why? How do you know they have a two acre block fenced yard? How do you know they have a doggie door installed? How do you know they only have one other dog who's 2 years old and perfect? How do you know their kid is perfect with animals? You don't. So be smart and do a probation period with at least two home visits. One at 2 weeks and one at 1 month.
8. Learn to realize that some animals may never find a home. As sad as it may be, just know that the life you gave them is probably 100X better than how they came to you and that whatever happens they are grateful.
9. Don't adopt an animal out to anyone who won't care for the animal better than you did.
10. Listen to your instincts. Even if you can't find a legitimate reason why this person should not have this animal, but you just have a bad feeling then listen to it. Make something up about why the animal can't go to them. That alone could save it's life. Nothing is foolproof. All the questions and applications in the world can't tell you as much as your instincts can.
Why? Not everyone will go searching for hours on every single rescues page looking for what to do. Some will just decide it's easier to buy a dog at the mall! Yuck!
2. Take GOOD pictures. Seeing pets in good condition (not being held) and in several different ways and in good lighting makes a difference.
Why? I skipped all the posts that had no picture because I can't gauge the personality, size, color, or breed mix. I don't want to drive to New River, AZ just to look at a dog that I might not like. This explains why pound dogs don't get adopted because the pound doesn't normally take pictures or post descriptions. Also, black dogs need lots more attention in the picture dept. It's a well known fact that black dogs get adopted WAY less than other dogs. Tie a bright bandanna around the pet's neck and lead them outside and engage in a fun game to bring out their personality and snap away!
3. Yes, you posted on petfinder.com but I still need to go to your website. Is it easy to navigate? Can I find the email addresses quickly? Is the application in PDF or Word form? Does the site look professional (not fancy-professional)? Do you have success stories and policies that I can read?
Why? Petfinder.com is a stepping stone for you in adopting out a pet, not an ending point. A good pet owner will research the rescue. If the page doesn't look professional then your efforts will look a little faded and superficial or slapped together. I'm not saying spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy site, but make it easy to navigate with lots of pictures so we can get a feel for the people and the organizational skills of the rescue. There's nothing worse than an unorganized rescue.
4. Call/email people back!
Why? Not calling/emailing gives people the feeling that you didn't like their application and discourages them from adopting a pet. Also, it's unprofessional. A day or so of silence is ok, but throw us a bone and let us know that you at least RECEIVED the application so we don't keep sending it to you, thinking you never got it, or calling you every other day. If you need to hire someone for just that reason then do so!
5. Fostering animals is a great way to keep expenses down, but it also leaves room for foster parents to think they "can manage" with 10 animals because they've become so attached. Limit the number of animals per foster parent and make sure the foster parent know what they are getting into BEFORE they decide to foster. It's all well and good until someone really is interested in adopting them and they have to leave.
Why? Charlie was in a house with THIRTY dogs. He is a very shy animal. The foster mom lived in an HOA neighborhood with a three dog limit so Charlie NEVER got walked. He didn't even know what a leash was. And when I adopted him on accident she was very upset because she got so attached to him. I felt bad, but, Charlie was in a house with THIRTY dogs. That's WAAAYYY too many for such a shy little dog. I bet she would be surprised at how his personality has blossomed at being an only dog.
6. Although the application may seem like something you don't need to pay attention to, or just "paperwork", it's actually very important for both parties involved. It let's the adoptee know how serious a rescue you are by the types of questions asked (AKA how much you care) and it let's the adopter get to know the potential adoptee better by the types of answers they give. It gives you a chance to go back over the paperwork if you're a busy rescue to remind you of this person. The more questions you ask the better (but don't go overboard).
Why? I filled out an application that was just a page long with boring questions like my address, name and phone number. The best one I answered was three pages long included necessary information like my address etc, but also had questions like: Had I ever owned a pet before? Why did I want a pet now? Had I ever given a pet away? Why? It was just long enough for me to give informative answers that showed I cared, but not long enough to make me think they didn't want ANYBODY to adopt their animals. Some applications just give you a feeling that they distrust everybody.
7. Home visits. As much as they may be a pain in the butt to organize it's very important. It's actually the only bad thing the rescue I adopted Charlie from did; they never gave a home visit. They just assumed where I lived was ok.
Why? How do you know they have a two acre block fenced yard? How do you know they have a doggie door installed? How do you know they only have one other dog who's 2 years old and perfect? How do you know their kid is perfect with animals? You don't. So be smart and do a probation period with at least two home visits. One at 2 weeks and one at 1 month.
8. Learn to realize that some animals may never find a home. As sad as it may be, just know that the life you gave them is probably 100X better than how they came to you and that whatever happens they are grateful.
9. Don't adopt an animal out to anyone who won't care for the animal better than you did.
10. Listen to your instincts. Even if you can't find a legitimate reason why this person should not have this animal, but you just have a bad feeling then listen to it. Make something up about why the animal can't go to them. That alone could save it's life. Nothing is foolproof. All the questions and applications in the world can't tell you as much as your instincts can.
How We Got Charlie
A few months ago my boyfriend Waylon had to leave for an all night band show. I was home alone and feeling kinda lonely. I was thinking to myself, "It would be great if I had a doggie here to keep me company." After that I couldn't stop thinking about getting a dog. Every time I went over to my parents house and played with their dogs I thought about getting a doggie. When my co-worker brought her uber cute chihuahua to work I thought about getting a doggie.
Suddenly at work I found myself haunting the pages of petfinder.com searching for a little doggie I could rescue. Finally after talking to mom and talking to Waylon I decided to start filling out applications for adopting a dog.
I thought it would be easy, just send in my application and go meet the dog and rescue it.
Man, was I wrong.
The first dog I wanted was already adopted but they didn't update it on the website and it took them almost a week to get back to me through email to tell me, not only that, but that I shouldn't have sent my application to the rescue but to the foster parent. Because, apparently, the foster parent has "first dibs" on whatever dog they're fostering and it's up to them to see if you're a good candidate or not.
Now, this wouldn't have bothered me except that they didn't notify people of this fact on petfinder.com (which hosts several thousands of rescues). It is up to the rescue to provide all the information a potential adoptee needs to know.
So after finding this out I assumed that ALL the rescues on petfinder.com were like this. I assumed correct.
After narrowing my list of doggies to one, I sent my application to one of the foster moms. She got back to me right away saying that my application looked good and was I interested in meeting Calvin next Sunday? I said yes. She said they would be at a Petsmart in north Scottsdale and to meet them there. If Calvin didn't work out for us other people could still look at him she said.
I waited all week to meet Calvin and was very excited. I didn't think I would be adopting him today, I simply thought I would be meeting him and then possibly have another meeting somewhere more private and then we would adopt him.
Waylon came with me, of course, it was important to me that we both met him. When we got to the Petsmart I realized that the rescue was hosting an adoption fair and several of the dogs that were available were there. I met up with the foster mom who held up Calvin. He didn't look like he was having a very good time at all. He was distracted, barking, yipping and growling at every dog who passed by him. He didn't want me or Waylon to hold him and kept trying to jump down. The foster mom was embarrassed saying, "Oh he never barks at home, I don't know what's gotten into him!"
I asked Waylon if he wanted to look around at the other dogs and see if anybody caught our eye. I chatted with the foster mom a bit, letting her get to know me. I assumed if any adoption was to go through a home visit would be included.
Suddenly I noticed a little white doggie sitting very calmly (and nervously) in his cage kind of looking around in awe at the circus around him.
I asked the foster mom, "Who is he? He looks cute..."
Waylon and I agreed that he was very cute. She took him out of the cage. I held him for several minutes. He didn't move away or seem to be aware of me holding him. Waylon held him. He didn't seem to mind Waylon. So we sat down with Waylon still holding him and Darwin began to look sleepy. We look at each other and decided without really saying anything that Darwin was a definite yes.
I called the foster mom over and said, "We like Darwin. How do we go about adopting him?"
She said, "Oh let me get his papers and we'll do it right now."
I was a little surprised, not expecting to adopt a dog today, but why not? Darwin was very shy but calm amid this chaos and was practically falling asleep in Waylon's arms. So, I signed the papers and handed over $150 which included his neutering, shots, and a microchip. After that we bade them goodbye and went shopping around Petsmart for his bed, some toys and nail clippers. I skipped the food aisle altogether because none of it was any good.
In the car he was very good, sleeping in his bed on Waylon's lap. We decided right there that he needed a name change. So we started calling out names, seeing which one we would react to. When I said, "Chaaarlie." He looked up.
And now he is Charlie Longdog Nevarez-Wood.
When we got home that night he didn't really know what to do. He seemed scared of Waylon when Waylon stood up. He kept following me around. And he was VERY hungry. I fed him some Evanger's Turkey Chunk which he snarfed and asked for more. I tried to take him for a walk but he didn't seem to know what a leash was or what to do. All he did was sit down and look around.
Around 10 pm Charlie and I were watching T.V. when the foster mom called me.
"We have a situation," she said. "Darwin was not supposed to be adopted today and his foster mom, who is the founder of this rescue, told her assistant to not let them adopt him out. She only wanted applications to be collected for him. The assistant failed to tell me this and now she's going to be fired! The founder, Deb, wants your phone number so she can talk to you and kind of interview you. Is that okay?"
I said it was fine. Almost ten minutes later Deb calls me and starts asking me questions. After assuring her that I'm a responsible pet owner and know more about animals than most 21 years olds do she said she was very sad to see Darwin leave and to keep in contact with her.
I honestly believe that if I had talked to Deb first about Charlie she would not have adopted him out to me, simply because she was too attached to him. He was living with 30 other dogs and I know that he was not happy. In a strange twist of fate I got Charlie simply by selecting another dog that was wrong.
Today Charlie has learned to love his leash. He loves all manner of squeaky toys and he loves me and Waylon and his favorite thing to do with us is lay on his back and go to sleep in between us while we're watching T.V.
Oh, and he loves Animal Planet as well :]
Suddenly at work I found myself haunting the pages of petfinder.com searching for a little doggie I could rescue. Finally after talking to mom and talking to Waylon I decided to start filling out applications for adopting a dog.
I thought it would be easy, just send in my application and go meet the dog and rescue it.
Man, was I wrong.
The first dog I wanted was already adopted but they didn't update it on the website and it took them almost a week to get back to me through email to tell me, not only that, but that I shouldn't have sent my application to the rescue but to the foster parent. Because, apparently, the foster parent has "first dibs" on whatever dog they're fostering and it's up to them to see if you're a good candidate or not.
Now, this wouldn't have bothered me except that they didn't notify people of this fact on petfinder.com (which hosts several thousands of rescues). It is up to the rescue to provide all the information a potential adoptee needs to know.
So after finding this out I assumed that ALL the rescues on petfinder.com were like this. I assumed correct.
After narrowing my list of doggies to one, I sent my application to one of the foster moms. She got back to me right away saying that my application looked good and was I interested in meeting Calvin next Sunday? I said yes. She said they would be at a Petsmart in north Scottsdale and to meet them there. If Calvin didn't work out for us other people could still look at him she said.
I waited all week to meet Calvin and was very excited. I didn't think I would be adopting him today, I simply thought I would be meeting him and then possibly have another meeting somewhere more private and then we would adopt him.
Waylon came with me, of course, it was important to me that we both met him. When we got to the Petsmart I realized that the rescue was hosting an adoption fair and several of the dogs that were available were there. I met up with the foster mom who held up Calvin. He didn't look like he was having a very good time at all. He was distracted, barking, yipping and growling at every dog who passed by him. He didn't want me or Waylon to hold him and kept trying to jump down. The foster mom was embarrassed saying, "Oh he never barks at home, I don't know what's gotten into him!"
I asked Waylon if he wanted to look around at the other dogs and see if anybody caught our eye. I chatted with the foster mom a bit, letting her get to know me. I assumed if any adoption was to go through a home visit would be included.
Suddenly I noticed a little white doggie sitting very calmly (and nervously) in his cage kind of looking around in awe at the circus around him.
I asked the foster mom, "Who is he? He looks cute..."
Waylon and I agreed that he was very cute. She took him out of the cage. I held him for several minutes. He didn't move away or seem to be aware of me holding him. Waylon held him. He didn't seem to mind Waylon. So we sat down with Waylon still holding him and Darwin began to look sleepy. We look at each other and decided without really saying anything that Darwin was a definite yes.
I called the foster mom over and said, "We like Darwin. How do we go about adopting him?"
She said, "Oh let me get his papers and we'll do it right now."
I was a little surprised, not expecting to adopt a dog today, but why not? Darwin was very shy but calm amid this chaos and was practically falling asleep in Waylon's arms. So, I signed the papers and handed over $150 which included his neutering, shots, and a microchip. After that we bade them goodbye and went shopping around Petsmart for his bed, some toys and nail clippers. I skipped the food aisle altogether because none of it was any good.
In the car he was very good, sleeping in his bed on Waylon's lap. We decided right there that he needed a name change. So we started calling out names, seeing which one we would react to. When I said, "Chaaarlie." He looked up.
And now he is Charlie Longdog Nevarez-Wood.
When we got home that night he didn't really know what to do. He seemed scared of Waylon when Waylon stood up. He kept following me around. And he was VERY hungry. I fed him some Evanger's Turkey Chunk which he snarfed and asked for more. I tried to take him for a walk but he didn't seem to know what a leash was or what to do. All he did was sit down and look around.
Around 10 pm Charlie and I were watching T.V. when the foster mom called me.
"We have a situation," she said. "Darwin was not supposed to be adopted today and his foster mom, who is the founder of this rescue, told her assistant to not let them adopt him out. She only wanted applications to be collected for him. The assistant failed to tell me this and now she's going to be fired! The founder, Deb, wants your phone number so she can talk to you and kind of interview you. Is that okay?"
I said it was fine. Almost ten minutes later Deb calls me and starts asking me questions. After assuring her that I'm a responsible pet owner and know more about animals than most 21 years olds do she said she was very sad to see Darwin leave and to keep in contact with her.
I honestly believe that if I had talked to Deb first about Charlie she would not have adopted him out to me, simply because she was too attached to him. He was living with 30 other dogs and I know that he was not happy. In a strange twist of fate I got Charlie simply by selecting another dog that was wrong.
Today Charlie has learned to love his leash. He loves all manner of squeaky toys and he loves me and Waylon and his favorite thing to do with us is lay on his back and go to sleep in between us while we're watching T.V.
Oh, and he loves Animal Planet as well :]
Good morning All.
The following is a quote out of the introduction section of my aformentioned how-to rescue guide:
"Before we begin let me start by saying a few words about the tendency for people who have taken in homeless animals to immediately ask everyone they know if they would like to take the animal off their hands. I wouldn’t be doing my job thoroughly if I didn’t do my best to explain reasons why this isn’t a good idea. To clarify what I mean by “everyone,” the following applies to those not already involved with rescue or an animal service-related business. Of course, these specific individuals are often approached by people who are actively looking for an animal to add as a family member. Many times that is a good way to hook up those animals in need of a home, and those who are trying to find a good source of where they can find their ideal pet.
However, when people who are not “in the loop” are asked if they would be interested in taking in a homeless animal, the idea is planted by the well-meaning rescuer in the minds of those asked, rather than the reverse; a person asking the rescuer if they know of such an animal being available for adoption. The problem is two-fold in that the person asked may then take pity on the “burdened” person caring for the animal, and also at the same time feel sorry for the animal in question. If this person is then compelled to “help” the rescuer out of this burdened situation, they are likely not ready, nor truly interested in adopting the animal. Though well-intentioned, the adoption is not genuine, and may result in the animal being in a similar predicament that was in originally when it found itself homeless. This person may develop resentment towards this animal. The animal in this case knows quickly it is truly not wanted. It will not behave as well as it would in a truly accepting home. Many times this person will then try to find a way to relieve her/himself of the same burden, often as quickly as possible. Unfortunately in this case the animal may find itself in the local pound more often than not.
Conversely, when someone originally has the idea to want to adopt a homeless animal on their own they are usually actively looking for that special animal. They are also usually prepared to accept such an addition to their lives. They may have already educated themselves about the specific animal. They are likely to have already taken steps to move to an appropriate home that is conducive to co-habitation with the animal they are looking for. They have usually prepared their children, and other family members if any. They are scanning ads, asking people they know who are in animal service-related businesses, and visiting animal-related events. They likely are expecting to be questioned on their animal care skills or experience by the person who currently has their animal. This person is the one you are waiting for to come looking for you and your rescued animal. This person is the one you are preparing your animal and yourself for. This is your true companion to your rescued animal. This person will seek you out, as long as you have the patience to wait for him or her to come knocking at your door."
If anyone has anything to add please feel free to do so.
The following is a quote out of the introduction section of my aformentioned how-to rescue guide:
"Before we begin let me start by saying a few words about the tendency for people who have taken in homeless animals to immediately ask everyone they know if they would like to take the animal off their hands. I wouldn’t be doing my job thoroughly if I didn’t do my best to explain reasons why this isn’t a good idea. To clarify what I mean by “everyone,” the following applies to those not already involved with rescue or an animal service-related business. Of course, these specific individuals are often approached by people who are actively looking for an animal to add as a family member. Many times that is a good way to hook up those animals in need of a home, and those who are trying to find a good source of where they can find their ideal pet.
However, when people who are not “in the loop” are asked if they would be interested in taking in a homeless animal, the idea is planted by the well-meaning rescuer in the minds of those asked, rather than the reverse; a person asking the rescuer if they know of such an animal being available for adoption. The problem is two-fold in that the person asked may then take pity on the “burdened” person caring for the animal, and also at the same time feel sorry for the animal in question. If this person is then compelled to “help” the rescuer out of this burdened situation, they are likely not ready, nor truly interested in adopting the animal. Though well-intentioned, the adoption is not genuine, and may result in the animal being in a similar predicament that was in originally when it found itself homeless. This person may develop resentment towards this animal. The animal in this case knows quickly it is truly not wanted. It will not behave as well as it would in a truly accepting home. Many times this person will then try to find a way to relieve her/himself of the same burden, often as quickly as possible. Unfortunately in this case the animal may find itself in the local pound more often than not.
Conversely, when someone originally has the idea to want to adopt a homeless animal on their own they are usually actively looking for that special animal. They are also usually prepared to accept such an addition to their lives. They may have already educated themselves about the specific animal. They are likely to have already taken steps to move to an appropriate home that is conducive to co-habitation with the animal they are looking for. They have usually prepared their children, and other family members if any. They are scanning ads, asking people they know who are in animal service-related businesses, and visiting animal-related events. They likely are expecting to be questioned on their animal care skills or experience by the person who currently has their animal. This person is the one you are waiting for to come looking for you and your rescued animal. This person is the one you are preparing your animal and yourself for. This is your true companion to your rescued animal. This person will seek you out, as long as you have the patience to wait for him or her to come knocking at your door."
If anyone has anything to add please feel free to do so.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)