The Reason We Rescue

His little tail was wagging in a cautious manner as I opened the cage door. I could see he was a bit scared as he was cowering in the corner. He was just a little hesitant, not knowing what to expect from me. I crouched down in a slow pace to the cold concrete floor making sure I did not make any sudden movements. I started talking to him in a soothing voice. As he approached me in a slow way, he started smelling around my pockets and I noticed his little nostrils quivering as he caught whiff of what was in there. Inching my hand towards my pocket, I reassured him that I wasn’t going to hurt him. Taking out a liver-scented dog treat, I placed it in my palm so he could smell it. He crept up on the treat I offered him. He gazed into my eyes while taking the treat out of my hand very cautiously. I guess he realized I had no intention of hurting him and jumped into my arms, giving me kisses all over my face as if he knew what was going on. There was nothing better than knowing that I was saving this dog from uncertain fate.

This is an everyday occurrence for those who have been chosen to rescue. Rescue is not for the faint at heart, especially when the dogs have been abused, injured, or neglected. The volunteers never know what to expect when they go to pull these precious little ones out of the shelter. But the one thing that they know is that they are saving that dog’s life from a fate that many rescuers do not want to think about.

One of the hardest situations rescuers face are puppy mill auctions. First of all, puppy mill dogs are treated horribly, some never knowing what grass is or a human is for that matter. These dogs are raised for the sole purpose of producing dogs for pet shops. Many are malnourished, sick, or injured. Very seldom have they ever seen a vet. When these dogs get too old to produce, they are either killed or put up for auction. The rescuers who attend these auctions try to prevent other save them from other puppy mill breeders from buying them. If they were successful in buying these dogs' freedom, they have given these animals a new lease on life. The rescuers realize these dogs will be costly and will take an exceptionally long period of time to get them to trust humans for the first time. They need to be socialized and loved but the outcome is so rewarding when the rescuer sees what the dog has become. This is one of the reasons we rescue.

When there is someone who believes in the rescue movement but cannot go to actual shelters, they find out there are so many other ways to help. Thanks to social media where the world is at their fingertips, this has become possible. Many thankless people will take time out of their busy day and contact shelters for dogs that are on their facilities’ list of dogs. These volunteers come across employees from the shelters who are extremely willing to help network these dogs because those workers fear for the dog’s outcome without being adopted or rescued. Then, you come across that employee who feel that you are wasting their time with you trying to do what you can to save them. Thankfully, those are few and far between.

After those calling the shelters have found out the information necessary, whether they have been adopted or rescued or still in the shelter, they then start the process of networking those available in the shelter with their location, a picture, and a brief history. Many times, these postings will get shared throughout the area from those that believe in what everybody is doing to save these beautiful animals. Facebook is one of the formats these rescuers use to network. You can see postings also on Twitter and Instagram as well. These rescuers do whatever is possible to spread the word to save these precious lives. Many of the networking rescuers will share various posts to their friends making viewing of these animals available to more people.

Hopefully, many of these dogs may find their new forever home through a private adoption out of the shelter. Before you get these dogs, the shelters might have vetted them as best as they can, depending on the funding that shelter has. They make sure they are spayed or neutered beforehand and if they are not, the new owner is required to sign an agreement stating they will have it performed within a certain time allotted to do this or the dog will be taken back. With spaying and neutering strays, it prevents the overpopulation that happens with an unaltered dog. The sad truth of the matter is for every hundred dogs that wind up in a shelter, maybe five is either adopted or rescued.

When the dog is fortunate to go into rescue, they have found their special friend. Many of these animals have been passed over by the individuals looking for a dog for some reason or another. Rescues have taken in injured, neglected and abused dogs. Many are rescued who are on the shelters list for euthanasia. If they have medical issues, these rescues will do whatever possible to get them vetted. They work with many vets who are “rescue friendly” who appreciate what these rescue agencies try to do to save these dogs. If the rescues’ funds are low, they network asking for donations with many people stepping forward, donating whatever they can. A lot of times if donations are not raised, those running the rescue will take it out of their own pocket so the dog can be helped.

Rescues will place the dog into a foster home so the foster family can get them ready to be adopted. The dog gets socialized with other dogs, their temperament is evaluated, and they are placed in the best possible home. Perspective families are interviewed, some with home visits, calling their vets, and sometimes calling references so the rescue can make sure these dogs are placed with their forever home and not discarded to a shelter as they were before. After the rescue agency places dogs with their new family, they sign a contract stating that in the case they cannot keep them, they are to return them to the rescuers. This makes sure they do not wind back up in an animal shelter.

The one thing that many rescue agencies do not have enough of are fosters, those that keep the animal for a temporary amount of time. With as many animals that wind up in shelters, the only way rescuers can save as many as they can is with the use of these fosters. If you cannot adopt a pet, think about the pets and keep them until they find their new homes. Rescuers do not rescue and then adopt out immediately. They make sure the dog is healthy, can be with other dogs or needs to be the only dog, check their temperament as if they can be around children or be placed in a home without children. Without the use of fosters, there will not be as many dogs rescued as possible. Sometimes those that foster will keep as many as they can to allow them to be adopted since there is that shortage. Many of the rescues will post for fosters, saying they will pick them up if someone will foster. It is a necessity for the rescue agency and that allows more dogs to be saved.

There are several reasons these people are involved with rescuing. It is a calling for some. It is a feeling of accomplishment for some. But if you ask any person who rescues, the reason is simply just saving that dog.