I dont think...

[Bclover92]

I can do Rescue, my heart is breaking.

I have been reading things and looking at dogs/cats in the local shelter. I am sitting here close to tears writing this.

I sooo want to help, but my heart litteraly is breaking. I dont think I could handle the emotional roller coaster of rescue.

I was watching Animal cops yesterday before class, I was like crying. It was the episode with that pit puppy Hope. I know some people on here talked about it. She was so thin and sick they didnt even know for hours if she was alive or dead. They found her curled up in a ball in a box as if she knew she was gonna die and that was her casket. She made it though, she was truly a miracle. How in the world could someone do that to a puppy??? Yet she still loved everyone and didnt give up.

There was also two VERY lovable Saint bernards on the next episode who had been locked in a basement and never been outside. They were so gross looking and like 60 or more pounds underweight. How could you do that to a poor animal? Yet once again they still loved life.

I was just looking at my local shelters website, they have a cat on there who has been there for litteraly like a year. She breaks my heart she would be the first cat I would get there, she looks so sweet and shes BEAUTIFUL. They also have a few dogs who have been there at least 3 months if not more. I know its updated regularly too cause other stuff changes.

I want to help them so bad, but I really dont think my heart could handle it. But yet I feel like there is this strength in me pushing me to do it anyways. That I will be okay and that to see these animals move on to great lives will way over power the Bad. I am sure it would but I dont know if I could last the first part.

I will deffinelty be rescuing and such I just dont think I can do my own rescue. I wouldnt be able to contain my fury twords the owners and my pain for the animals. So my plan will be altering a little bit. I want to take rescue dogs that maybe had that really bad start and give them lots of love and care and take them to hospitals and schools to bring awareness and also just so they can be loved by a bunch of people. My main focus will be on special needs dogs (deaf dogs, blind dogs, dogs in wheelchairs). Then also special needs kids/adults.

So I want to go to school for dog training/evaluating so I know what kinds of personalitys will work and such.

My plan is staying in the same general area of idea but a little bit different. I may also foster dogs, that way I can also rehome some dogs.

[fairlight]

I am not saying you are not special BC (you certainly are special to us!) but rescue is not for ther weak of heart. Yes there are many happy outcomes but having to see the inhumaneness of what people do to animals, or knowing you have to put an animal down because of peoples stupidity......Sorry...I am not strong enough for that type of job......yet I am the first to commend and applaud the people that do.

[Bclover92]

I agree fair and that is why I dont think I can do it. I can help but not run my own and be in charge of dealing with these people and such.

Here is Starlette the cat that I would soooo love to have. Even though I am not a huge cat person. I like them just not as much as dogs.

[AtomicSkies]

being involved in rescue can be the most painful and difficult thing ever...BUT being able to talk to people and educate them is wonderful...and even better then that is being able to see the animals recover from their bad start and then to be involved when they move on to their forever home is the greatest feeling in the world...at the last adoption event i worked we had a pair of bunnies toby and rexi who had been in foster care for around two years give or take get adopted to a wonderful family...i was teary and when i called our directors lisa and nevin they both cried

it can be heart wrenching but it can be so fulfilling its worth it

[MissCriss]

Don't feel bad! It takes a certain type of person to be involved in rescue, and if we were all that kind of person, not much would be able to get done, if you really think about it. We need the "weak of heart" people and the "strong of heart" people to be able to make rescuing and adopting out pets successful. I'm sure there are plenty of ways you can positively affect the community and animal world. It is perrfectly understandable to be so affected by these situations.

I think fostering dogs or taking some classes in animal behavior is an excellent and equally helpful idea!

[mommyof4]

I agree with everyone else. It's pretty rough. I did shelter work myself for a while and it was just too much to see these dogs and the stupid people that would bring them in. I got burned out and had to leave or I mighta killed someone.

I stayed away from it for a while but then started fostering. I think for sensitives like us, fostering is definitely the way to go. I work with a great organization who allows me to make the final decision on where the dog ends up. While I am always sad when the dog might go for my own selfish reasons, I know the dog is in a good place and usually the people keep in touch so I get to see pics. Seeing a dog find his or her forever home is really rewarding.

I started with "normal" pooches but now when I foster, they give me the harder cases, usually dogs that have behavioral issues. This also gives me the chance to train and learn a lot. Maybe you should try something like that. It's so rewarding to know that a dog is "fixed" because you gave him the chance.

[fairlight]

Originally Posted by mommyof4

I agree with everyone else. It's pretty rough. I did shelter work myself for a while and it was just too much to see these dogs and the stupid people that would bring them in. I got burned out and had to leave or I mighta killed someone.

I stayed away from it for a while but then started fostering. I think for sensitives like us, fostering is definitely the way to go. I work with a great organization who allows me to make the final decision on where the dog ends up. While I am always sad when the dog might go for my own selfish reasons, I know the dog is in a good place and usually the people keep in touch so I get to see pics. Seeing a dog find his or her forever home is really rewarding.

I started with "normal" pooches but now when I foster, they give me the harder cases, usually dogs that have behavioral issues. This also gives me the chance to train and learn a lot. Maybe you should try something like that. It's so rewarding to know that a dog is "fixed" because you gave him the chance.

I don't even think I could foster. I know from what people in this forum do and what a rewarding experience it is, but it would break my heart to see an animal leave me. Yes, I know they would be going to a good home, but with that animal would go a piece of my heart. O know I would turn out to be a hoarder and that would not be good for the animal or for me.

[mommyof4]

It isn't for everybody.

I'm sure there are plenty of ways you can positively affect the community and animal world.

Absolutely. There is so much that goes into it. Maybe you're a good photographer and can take pics of adoptable pets, or maybe you're a graphic designer and can help them with their Web page. There so much administrative work involved and a lot of people that volunteer just want to work with the animals. I got started by helping with adoption applications, just calling references and vets, etc. Then I wrote their adoption manual. It was then that I realized they would let me decide who the adopter would be. And that was what was the most important thing to me. I did not want to have a dog in my home for any amount of time only to be taken by someone that might not be right.

[rubyred]

Everyone here has given great advice. This is a unique and challenging type of work and not for everyone. But like others say, there are SO many other ways you can still make a difference.

Why don't you schedule a visit to your local animal rescue. Find out about all the different positions within their organization and what each position's role is in the overall operation. Find out what the rescue's special needs are etc. You may find that there is a niche there just for you. Ask about job shadowing as well. This will give you some 1st hand knowledge of certain positions and may help you eliminate the jobs that you are not interested in or that for emotional reasons you don't feel you could handle. You may surprise yourself at how strong you may be.

Now that it is summer and school is out, this is a perfect time to research this and do some job shadowing.

[Gingersmom]

I'm not allowed to go into SPCA's and the like....for the sole reason I want to rescue them all and end up getting highly upset. Can't watch shows that animals get hurt in either...even called sister a bug killer when I was younger, she thought that she could glow like lightening bugs with lightening bug juice...I got pretty upset over that one...everyone has their own comfort point and it's not all the same...