Written By: Melinda McMillion
Out of Harm's Way Small Dog Rescue
http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/NC368.html
http://outofharmsway.tripod.com/
Many people think they would love to adopt a new doggie. They watch shows like Animals Cops on Animal Planet. They think owning a new puppy will be so much fun.
But after the newness and cuteness wears off, they find that Fido makes a mess, Fido eats everyday, Fido has to go to the vet, and Fido chews things up. Now, since Fido has become an expensive nuisance, he will need to go outside. But since you don’t have a fenced yard, Fido will have to stay on a chain or in a small dog pen out back.
Well, now that Fido is confined to a small space, he and his area start to smell. So you move Fido farther from the house. Ick, what a smell! Now Fido barks all night trying to get your attention, and the neighbors are starting to complain. Dumb Dog! You say.
When you go out to feed and water Fido, if you remember, he jumps up on your pretty clothes. He is just so excited to finally see someone. But you don’t like this kind of interaction, so you decide to stand just out of reach and slide his food and water bowls over to him. That ignorant dog is really starting to get on your nerves.
Now Fido starts digging out of his pen or slips his collar to go looking for love and companionship. You get mad at the stupid dog when neighbors call and complain about Fido turning over their garbage cans or chasing after their family pets.
That’s it, you’ve had it. You take him back to the shelter and tell them your kids are allergic to him, or that you’re moving and can’t take him with you, or you say he is so unmannerly and destructive that you can’t keep him anymore.
Now, everything and everybody Fido has known all his life has been taken away. His home, his family, his whole world has suddenly been turned upside down. He doesn’t understand. He is now among all new people, lots of kennels filled with lots of strange dogs, and he can’t get away from the constant, underlying stench of death. Where is he? What’s happening? When am I going home? Where’s my family? When are they coming back for me?
All of this is so traumatizing to Fido. Oftentimes he will react with fear and trembling, depression, or even aggression. Sometimes he will be relieved just to be around other living creatures and given food, water, and shelter. But the truth is, his chances of being adopted are very small. The shelters are overcrowded and time is short.
That’s where Rescue comes in. We take these poor, traumatized souls and help to rehabilitate them physically, emotionally, and socially. We bring them into our own homes and lavish them with love and attention. We see to their illnesses and injuries and nurse them back to health. We help them learn to trust again, to love again, and to learn manners and social skills. We help them learn to adapt to a constantly changing environment of different animals and different people.
We also take the time to learn about them. We find out what they like and don’t like. We discover their strengths and their weaknesses. We learn about their needs and form opinions as to the type of environment that would be best for them. Finally, after all this change and adjustment, we begin to try and find homes for our newest charges.
That’s where the real work begins. Now, armed with our knowledge of Fido, his past and his present condition, we set out to find just the right home, family, and environment for Fido so that he can now thrive instead of simply survive.
We have our potential adopters fill out home questionnaires. This helps us get a better feel for this particular family’s work schedule, home setup, expectations, and past pet history. It is an in-depth interview. If the applicant answers in a way we feel would not suit Fido, then the adoption process ends there.
For instance, if we know Fido would be happiest with a fenced in yard and the applicant lives in a condo with an unfenced common area, then we deny based solely on this. However, this is not a judgment of the individual or their home but rather a decision for the welfare of this particular dog. If the potential adopter qualifies in every other way, we may ask that they consider adopting another dog or a different breed or size that would be better suited to their situation.
We also like to do home visits as the final step in the adoption process. This is not being nosey or invasive. We have all seen television shows about animal hoarders and collectors and people who literally live in filth and horrendous conditions. Once we have rescued Fido, we want to make sure we don’t have to do it again. We want the right home for Fido not just a home.
If the potential adopter lives too far away for us to do a home visit, we ask that they send us pictures of their home both inside and out. This way we can make sure that conditions are safe and that the home resembles what the applicant has represented in their application.
After everything is said and done, the adopter is approved, and Fido goes to his new home, we also offer to take Fido back if the adoption does not work out. This way, if Fido doesn’t mesh with their family, home, schedule, or other pets, then he can come back to a safe place with people he knows and loves. Then we, the rescuers, can try again to find Fido the perfect home.
There is also another reason for all this intense investigation. We genuinely care about the animals we save. And after investing so much of ourselves into them, we want to make sure that they go into homes where they will be loved, cherished, and will never be hurt, neglected, or abandoned again.