WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF AN ANIMAL WELFARE CRISIS!
RESCUES ARE FULL / SHELTERS ARE FULL / POUNDS ARE FULL!
Yesterday, I was with a dear friend who runs a rescue. We were going through some of the 48 emails she had received – just that weekend. Emails from people here in southern Ontario wanting to surrender their pet – 90% were dogs.
First and foremost there are real and valid reasons why a pet cannot stay in their current home. That is fully acknowledged.
But for many of these situations there is assistance and/or training available to aid owners who genuinely care and it is their desire for them to keep their pet – they just need some help.
Surrendering should be a last resort or used for human safety concerns.
And that is why rescues take in owner surrenders and that is why ethical rescues will always accept their animals back.
Rescues do not offer surrender services in order to provide people who are unwilling to make the needed commitment with an easy way to just hand over all responsibility for a life that they AGREED to take on.
When a surrender request is made, rescues will need time to find a spot for that animal – rescues do not have the luxury of having empty foster homes on standby – they are full! In fact, most rescues are scrambling daily trying to find foster homes. That is why a rescues have surrender waiting lists.
But far too often, rescues and shelters see healthy, loving animals surrendered because the owner says they are “too much work,” “too expensive,” or “not a good fit anymore.” But shockingly these excuses will be given and they have only had the animal for a month!!!
When someone adopts a pet it should be made crystal clear the time and financial obligation and also to stress that the animal needs time to decompress, to adjust. Owners need to give them a quiet spot to just be. To set that animal up for success. A guideline given is usually 2-3 months to allow that animal to really relax and allow their true selfs to shine.
Unfortunately there are too many people that are quite frankly selfish and lazy and just want a turnkey animal immediately. They are unwilling to make the commitment to that living breathing being and they decide to bail on their responsibility. If this was a child you don’t just bail. No, you made a commitment, you understand your responsibility and you get on with it.
Even worse, some pets are simply abandoned—left to fend for themselves, confused, frightened, and often suffering. This is not just heartbreaking; it is irresponsible.
Quite a few of these emails indicated some sort of deadline that they will be “forced” to euthanize the animal if a new home cannot be found.
To these people I say to “how dare you” put that on a rescue that is trying everything they possibly can to save animals.
I will say right here that many do not have the balls to actually take their animal to a vet and then stay with that animal while a vet injects into their vein a concoction to stop their heart. And then to actually pay to have this done.
Parting thought:
- Time people grow up!
- Make well thought out decisions – and have consensus within the home
- Assess maturely whether your lifestyle and financial situation allows you to take on that responsibly for years to come
If no or not sure, reach out to a rescue to inquire about fostering. See if this may be a good fit.
Rescue DOES NOT work without fosters. Quite simply – fostering saves lives!
Rescues provide foster homes with all the food, leashes, collars and they take care of the vet bills. All that is requested from the foster is a loving, stable home environment and to show patience while the animal gets used to their new life.
