| |
| |
| Volunteering with Rescue Dogs |
| by Tom Bernagozzi |
I have found few things as personally fulfilling as working with rescue dogs. Shelters are filled with homeless dogs just waiting to be adopted, and for some this will never happen. In kill shelters around the country a dog's time is limited. Depending on the shelter's space, some animals are given no more than a week before they are euthanized to make room for so many others.
I wanted to work with homeless dogs for many years, and I finally found the time to devote to this lifelong desire about five years ago. I couldn't stand to work in a municipal shelter where I might become attached to certain dogs only to find that they have been put down the next time I show up. So, I opted to work with a local no-kill shelter where I knew the animals would be safe until they found new homes.
At a no-kill shelter animals remain until they find a new home. No animal is put down unless they are terminally ill or become dangerously aggressive. In town municipal shelters animals are euthanized when the shelters become too crowded. Many people still think the word "shelter" means a safe haven, but unless a municipal shelter decides to be no-kill, animals will be put down when the shelter director deems it necessary. Thousands of wonderful pets are killed each year simply because no one has adopted them within a certain period of time. The Mayor's Alliance in New York is working hard toward making the city's CACC no-kill, but this takes time, and there is the problem of what to do with the overflow of dogs that have not gotten adopted while more keep coming in all the time.
No system is perfect, for even in a no-kill shelter there are dogs that remain for years and you can't help but become close to them. Some are very adoptable, but for one reason or another, they just don't seem to find the perfect match. I adopted my Lhasa from just such a shelter and she is a perfectly wonderful dog. Sometimes it takes a while, but there is a forever home waiting for every animal somewhere. We never give up hope. And as long as a dog remains at the shelter, we make sure it gets daily exercise, individual attention, and lots of love.
The most depressing part about working at a no-kill shelter is watching the dogs come in from families who no longer want them. Some people arrive and ask you to take this dog that they "found," but you can tell right away that they are just trying to dump off their own dog. Others come in and tell you that their children went off to college and are no longer able to take care of the dog. You find your mouth dropping open in shock when you hear something like this. The poor animal was a member of the household until a change in the family dynamics suddenly leaves them homeless. A frequent excuse comes from people who are moving into a new apartment or condo which does not allow animals. If they truly loved their pets why would they even consider moving into such a place? It is hard to understand.
If you love animals and can spare a few hours a week to work with them, check the local shelters in your area and see if they need some volunteers. If there are no shelters in your area check with rescue groups. Many groups take in dogs and place them in foster homes until they can find them their forever homes. Fostering an animal can be very rewarding. Whether you volunteer or foster an animal, it will be one of the most satisfying experiences you will ever have.
|
|
|
|
