with missy's passing, it brings to mind our responsibilities in rescuing and caring for homeless animals.
we all know what a political minefield rescue can be. so easy to destroy the work of a good rescue group with ill considered accusations and innuendos. an example of this is the damage that "ellen" did on national tv over that little dog she adopted and then in defiance of her adoption contract, gave away to a friend. her dramatic, uneducated hysteria over the incident, ruined a rescue group and cut off yet another rescue option for homeless animals in need.
we saw the same thing again this fall when visitors not understanding not only the very alien to us issues surrounding northern rescue, but the difference in the physical and emotional appearence of dogs on the road to recovery vs dogs who are being neglected or abused.
and then we see the news casts and the video of a rescue back east whose animals were seized by the SPCA. the filth, the squalor, the profound and utter neglect that these animals suffered in the name of "rescue" is enough to destroy anyone's faith.
i don't much sit on the fence and especially not when animals are suffering. i understand the differences in issues and knowledge and resources. i understand the difference between what is absolutely necessary and what is extra fluff.
there are rescues in every single province whose animals need rescuing from their rescuers. anyone can open a rescue. it does not take brains, it does not take comittment or resources, it doesn't even take a conscience or a sense of responsibility...you can open a rescue without any of the above if you are not too worried about the result.
i will purposefully take animals that i don't have room for, if i hear that the very next option is a rescue that i know will not care for them properly. i will turn away an animal destined for euth, before i will turn away one headed for a really hard time.
there are people who are not saints supporters, they use every opportunity to undermine the work that we do...they need to see some of these other places to see the difference in the level of care and knowledge and responsibility in caring for each animal here.
missy was very lucky, even tho she lost her long term home. she came to a place that cared about how she felt and how she lived and if she was happy, every single day. saints may not be ideal, but then ideal can never truly exist in rescue anyway...ideal is the perfect home which homeless animals don't have. however, we do have an absolute responsibility to provide the very best we possibly can...and if we can't even provide the basics unfailingly to every animal in our care then we better not be involved in rescuing animals at all.
Mia, I have no idea how many dogs you are involved with in any given year, nor have I made any assumptions. My opinions were not directed to you or at you.