15/05/2025
🐶Had to repost this because while it may be long, it is a very important read!🐶
If you’ve ever surrendered a dog, dumped a dog, adopted a dog, fostered a dog, or just thought about doing any of above you’ll be interested to read this.
To all of the rescue community, as much as it feels like we are rowing a boat with a toothpick, we do make a difference. Even if it’s just for that one dog or one cat, at least for that one, it knows love again.🐶
Every day, we receive emails from shelters asking for help and from individuals wanting to surrender their dogs.
Right now, every rescue has long waiting list coming into rescue.
Many of these requests involve multiple dogs—sometimes two, three, or even four, and more times than not, a mama dog with 10+ puppies.
Same goes with cats and kittens, but it’s always several kittens never just one.
On top of that, rescues get numerous messages on Facebook, texts from networkers, and my hometown is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS with the owner surrenders and dumping of animals.
It is like a third world country here in many states.
Finding a solution to this overwhelming demand would challenge even the most rational person, and those of us in rescue, who often feel far from sane, struggle to keep up.
Yesterday, I followed up on dog in animal control that was owner surrendered because they didn’t have time for her and they KNEW AC was full and had to euthanize if they took her in from them.
They wanted her to have a “good home and cared,” but not enough to donate a bag of food or monetary donation to get her into a local rescue where she would be safe because it was 10 minutes further down the road from the local animal control.
And it was free and convenient through their animal control.
The dog also had never been to a vet before.
Which, is becoming the norm!
This dog had no behavioral issues, loved all animals and people and kids even more, but we couldn't take her in because we had zero available fosters.
I planned on networking her and posting her for help once I was off work and could actually focus on the networking and not at my paying job.
I reached back out for a photo to post her as emergency foster needed and found out she was euthanized due to a lack of space.
The heartbreaking defeat and rage I felt—not at animal control, but at the humans who failed her—were overwhelming.
Social media has exacerbated many of these problems.
It's disheartening to see the "beautiful and happy" pictures of these dogs living seemingly wonderful lives, only to be discarded when the novelty wears off.
This is not an anomaly; it's the norm, and it's what leads to tragic outcomes like the little girl who lost her life at animal control, abandoned and alone because her owner was too damn lazy to put a little effort into her.
To those who think I'm being harsh, try walking a day in our shoes.
Read the emails.
Go go spend a day at a shelter, and see the faces of these abandoned pets.
Especially the owner surrendered ones that know what a home used to feel like. Those, in my opinion, are the most broken because they once knew a family and love and they didn’t do anything wrong and their owners just throw them away like trash.
Go and Experience their fear and loneliness.
We are tired of making excuses for these humans, and so tired of being nice and polite.
Someone has to speak up for the thousands of lives lost to euthanasia because their humans failed them.
Before you chase the social media dream using your dog as a prop and then decide you no longer have time for them, consider the consequences.
We often see comments from people saying, "I wish I could help."
The truth is, many of our volunteers don't just wish they could—they find a way to make it work, to help, and to make a difference.
It's not easy for anyone, but if we step away, there will literally be no hope.
Adoptions are low, and fosters are scarce. So, what do we do?
Do you have a solution?
Every email and message asks, "Can you help?"
Ask yourself, how can YOU help?
Most of you reading this are likely good, responsible pet owners. But it's the people who do the least to help our cause who are the most vocal.
Support your local shelters and rescues, but most importantly, be the kind of person your dog or cat would proudly call their beloved owner.
Most likely, that little girl sitting in the shelter, thought she was going for a walk. She probably wagged her tail happily, thinking it was playtime.
Instead, she was led one last time to a room where someone helped her take her final breath. Technically, this happened due to lack of space, but in reality, it was because her humans, and we as a society, failed her.
To her who lost her life: you represent the thousands of pets dying every
SEVEN
SECONDS
in shelters.
We humans don't deserve dogs. Your life matters.
IF THERE EVER WAS A CRUSJS, IT IS NOW!
IF THERE EVER WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IT IS NOW.
IF THERE EVER WAS A MOMENT TO DISCOVER
HOW YOU CAN HELP SAVE A LIFE, IT IS NOW!!
Foster-Volunteer-Donate-Educate-Rescue
(Majority of this was copied from a former rescue post.)
