Animal Rescue – What is it about?
Pet adoption is the focus of an animal rescue club or charity. These organizations try to find suitable homes for unwanted, neglected, abandoned, or stray pets. Numerous rescue organizations are founded and maintained by volunteers who take in animals and care for them in their homes, including training, playing, attending to medical needs, and resolving behavioral issues until a suitable permanent home can be found.
Animal rescue is a vitally important social activity that assists in defending animals from perilous circumstances that frequently involve brutality and abuse. Due to costly medical issues, evictions, or other unforeseen circumstances, many animals end up in shelters.
It is tempting to demonize people who give up their pets, but as animal activists, we must remember that frequently, people give up their pets because they think it is best for the animal or because they have exhausted all other options.
The majority of pet species have rescue organizations (such as reptiles, rabbits, and bird species), but dogs and cats receive the greatest attention. Rescue organizations may focus on particular breeds or subgroups of breeds for animals with a wide variety of breeds. Local Labrador Retriever rescue groups, hunting dog rescue groups, large dog rescue groups, and general dog rescue groups are a few examples.
To rescue and rehabilitate wild animals like lions, tigers, and cheetahs—a task that is typically shared or supported by zoos and other conservation charities—animal rescue organizations have also been established. When possible, these creatures are usually returned to the wild; otherwise, they are kept in captivity and may be used to breed endangered species.
Petfinder.org, a well-known umbrella organization for animal rescue organizations, is a searchable online directory of more than 13,000 animal shelters and adoption organizations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The American Kennel Club keeps a list of contacts with details on breed rescue organizations for purebred dogs throughout the US, mostly within breed clubs.
Animal shelters frequently collaborate with rescue organizations because, in most cases, they would prefer to place an otherwise healthy and adoptable animal in a home than put it to death. While shelters might run out of space, rescue organizations can frequently find volunteers with space in their homes for temporary placement. Some groups (like Old Dog Haven) work with elderly animals whose age would probably result in their being put to death in the county pound. Due to overcrowding and a lack of foster homes, 3–4 million cats and dogs are put to death every year in shelters.
The term “rescue” is used to describe both shelter and rescue organizations in the United Kingdom, regardless of whether they operate a network of foster homes where volunteers care for animals until adoption or if they have their own facilities or rent space from business kennels.
Dog pounds are typically used to refer to kennels that have contracts with local governments to house stray dogs. Some dog pounds also perform rescue and rehoming operations, therefore they can be considered rescue organizations run dog pounds. Some rescue organizations cooperate with pound staff to transfer pets to rescues. A dog brought in as a stray to a pound in the UK must first be detained for seven days before it may be adopted or put down.
There are three categories of animal rescue in the US:
A municipal shelter is a place where stray and abandoned animals are kept, together with animals that their owners can no longer care for.
No healthy, adoptable animals should ever be put to death, according to the policies of a no-kill shelter, which are typically private organizations.
Rescue groups that are non-profit often run through a network of volunteer foster homes. These rescue groups are devoted to a no-kill philosophy as well.
Today’s non-profit rescue groups frequently concentrate not just on finding homes for rescued animals but also on their rehabilitation and training. Animals who have experienced severe mistreatment are unable to transition swiftly from one setting to another. Rescue personnel with specialized training must be able to recognize indicators of anger and anxiety and work to change these behaviors. All animals go through a different rehabilitation process, much like people. While some people may heal right away, others may never fully recover.
Animal rescue or pet rescue may refer to:
- A group that works to rescue animals, including pets, from shelters and place them in permanent homes is known as an animal rescue group.
- The San Francisco Bay Area’s Animal Rescue Foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to pet adoption and other animal welfare initiatives.
- Animal sanctuaries are places where rescued wild or domestic animals are given long-term care.
- Animal welfare is a word used to refer to an animal’s overall well-being and, more particularly, the concept of activism to improve animal welfare.
- International Animal Rescue is an organization that promotes animal welfare internationally.
- Adopting dogs, especially those left behind by prior owners
- Dog rescue, adoption, and shelter placement
- Wildlife rehabilitation involves taking care of wild animals with the goal of reintroducing them to their native habitat.
How Do You Rescue Animals?
What Sets an Animal Rescue Facility Apart from a Shelter for Animals?
It might be challenging to define the distinctions between animal shelters and animal rescues.
This is a result of the two terms’ high degree of ambiguity and flexibility. Animal shelters may even be considered a subgroup of animal rescues in some locations that interpret the phrase “animal rescue” widely. If there were a significant distinction, it would be that animal rescue groups are frequently foster-based organizations while animal shelters normally have buildings where animals are housed. However, this does not imply that all animal shelters lack foster parents since many do. The fact that many animal rescue organizations collaborate with boarding facilities to house their animals furthers the confusion between the two. Whatever names they go by, both kinds of organizations share the same objective: they exist to aid animals.
Who Suffers the Most Animals?
Farm sanctuaries support rescued farm animals and provide a peaceful environment to live out their lives. Municipal shelters handle cruelty seizures and aid in finding homes for dogs and cats. In particular for the species that are most frequently in need, if there is an animal in need, there is probably an organization that has stepped forward to help.
Dogs
3.1 million dogs are thought to enter shelters each year in the US. Despite being astonishing, this number has significantly decreased from the estimated 3.9 million dogs who entered shelters in 2011. These dogs are brought to shelters as stray animals, owner surrenders, and victims of maltreatment.
While many rescues take in stray animals or those that owners turn in, many also concentrate on removing dogs from animal shelters to create room for new arrivals and maintain the downward trend in the annual number of dogs put to death in shelters.
Cats
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 3.2 million cats are brought into animal shelters in the US each year. Cats of various ages, ailments, and needs come through the shelter doors, where staff members direct them to the best possible outcomes, whether that be transfer to a facility or rescue better able to meet the needs of that animal, adoption, or seeking a return to its owner.
Horses
Between 6,000 and 10,000 horses are thought to be in rescues across the country. Usually, the health, conduct, or unsuitability of these horses for their intended use leads to their rehoming.
Animals and poultry
The majority of farm animals and poultry in shelters and rescues come from either factory farms or backyard chicken keepers. Animals such as livestock and poultry may be given new homes by a shelter or rescue organization or may pass away at a sanctuary.
Wildlife Like domesticated animals, wildlife frequently requires assistance. The majority of saved wildlife will undergo rehabilitation with the intention of being released back into the wild in the future. The animals that cannot be released will either be kept in captivity at a sanctuary, zoo, or another suitable facility that can provide proper care, or they will be humanely put to death owing to their condition.
What Difference Does Animal Rescue Make?
There are countless tales of animals that have been saved. The president of Mercy for Animals, Leah Garcés, recently shared the touching account of Henrietta, her rescue chicken, and the relationship the two developed after Henrietta learned how to skateboard from Garcés’ daughter. Although not every animal that is saved has a spectacular new skill, the internet is rife with tales like Henrietta’s of how animals’ lives are changed and how those who are fortunate enough to save them change as well.
What Makes Animal Rescue and the Fight against Animal Cruelty Important?
There is no living being that deserves to be mistreated.
Animals should be treated decently and with care for both their physical and emotional well-being because they are sentient beings.
Rescue is important to aid in restoring the well-being of animals that have been neglected, harmed, or ignored by civilization because, unfortunately, this doesn’t always occur.
Animals that elude capture can pose a threat to society.
Animals can pose serious risks. They can injure people and other animals physically through bites, scratches, and physical force, but they can also act as disease vectors and spread parasites, rabies, and other illnesses.
Animals from slaughter end up on plates.
Factory farms subject the animals that are raised for food to unfathomable anguish and suffering.
They are slaughtered well before the end of their natural lives and are frequently unable to stand or move correctly due to their unusual size or the confined spaces in which they live. They are also routinely separated from their offspring just hours after giving birth.
Ignoring the issue makes it worse
It only becomes worse due to the issues of animal overpopulation, abuse, and neglect. These problems must be addressed head-on in a way that respects the consciousness of both the rescue participants and the animals in order to be resolved.
Overpopulation of pets
The emphasis on spaying and neutering and animal rescue have both helped to reduce pet overpopulation.
Animals that receive proper care and have their basic requirements satisfied are less likely to accidentally reproduce than those who are left to fend for themselves.
Unhealthy Animals Suffer Significant Health Issues
It is commonly known that puppy mills, which are essentially industrial farms for dogs, and the puppies they generate, have issues. These establishments frequently fail to provide the dogs with normal veterinary treatment and keep them in filthy conditions where it is impossible to keep them free from parasites and common infectious diseases. Compared to puppies from non-commercial breeders, dogs from these factories are more prone to exhibit aggression and other behavioral issues. The conditions under which they were bred make it likely that these puppies will also be ill or hurt.
What Kinds Of Animal Abuse Are Most Common?
Slaughterhouses
Without including hens or marine life, 165 million animals are killed annually in the United States alone. These animals’ final moments are sad because they are treated roughly by overworked and underpaid staff. Often, these animals are still awake when the time comes for them to pass away because the stunning attempt failed.
Testing on Animals
Due to inadequate record-keeping procedures, it is difficult to determine the precise number of animals that suffer as a result of animal testing for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals; estimates put the number globally in the tens of millions. These animals are exposed to diseases they wouldn’t have ordinarily developed, chemicals, and various forms of physical and psychological abuse.
After serving the scientific community, many of these animals won’t be able to find new homes and will pass away too soon.
Fishing and hunting
Contrary to popular belief, fish may be able to sense pain, therefore catch and release fishing actually hurt the creatures that are caught. Similar to fishing, hunting at big scales results in significant suffering for the animals involved. Animals are frequently hunted because they are misunderstood or painted as malevolent, as was the case with wolves in the Western United States.
Torture
Unfortunately, there are times when animals are tormented. The act must be purposely performed on the animal for it to be called torture.
Despite the fact that certain examples of abuse may garner greater attention in the media due to their sensationalism, it is crucial for animal lovers to remember that when it comes to animal rescue, torture accounts for a very small percentage of occurrences.
Starvation
The starvation of animals is sometimes a result of neglect. This is especially true for neglected and confined animals because they cannot get their own food. Anemia and liver deterioration are only two of the several potential health problems that prolonged hunger can bring on.
Dog mills
In essence, puppy mills are canine factory farms. Profit is more important to them than the welfare of the animal and the person who is purchasing a new member of their family.
Dogs are frequently bred repeatedly while being stacked in kennels one on top of the other. Additionally, they frequently receive poor veterinary treatment and as a result, get sick.
Positive reinforcement and its function have become more understood, leading to advancements in animal training. Despite this, brutal training techniques continue to be used in both individual and professional settings. Make sure the trainer you choose will treat you and your pet with respect by doing your homework before hiring them.
Adopt a new member of your family who is furry, scaly, or feathered.
The next time you’re thinking about adding a furry, scaly, or feathered member to your household, look into local shelters and rescues first before weighing your other possibilities. For identifying animal rescues and the animals they have available, Adopt a Pet is a beneficial website.
Volunteer at an animal shelter in your area
Volunteers to work with the animals are always needed at animal shelters all over the world. They frequently have a selection of numerous different roles. Perhaps you enjoy spending time with cats or dogs one-on-one, or perhaps you’re most enthusiastic about the prospect of helping connect animals with the ideal new family. Whatever your interests, you’ll be able to contribute in some way.
Donate to organizations that rescue animals
A great approach to ensure that an animal rescue organization can keep saving animals year after year is to donate supplies or money to them.
Fostering animals until they are adopted
Most animal shelters and rescue organizations provide a foster program to assist in finding homes for animals while they wait for their permanent families. Even if you can only foster for a short period of time, giving an animal a much-needed vacation from the stressful environment of the shelter may be all that is required for them to find a new home.
Increase Awareness of Animal Shelter Information
Consider sharing the profiles and images of the animals at your neighborhood shelter if you are active on social media or have other opportunities to spread information about shelter animals. This promotes the animals’ visibility and may lead to an adoption.
Abandon the use of animal products.
Stopping the use of animal products is one of the best methods to lessen the suffering of farmed animals. You may lessen the need for animal suffering and the number of animals forced to live in factory farms by making more plant-based food choices.
When you see animal abuse, report it.
You should get in touch with your neighborhood animal shelter to examine the problem and decide what to do next if you believe you are seeing or have seen animal abuse.
One crucial method to support animal rescue is to ensure the happiness and health of the animals you share your environment with. You may set a good example for others to follow and ensure that you have a positive impact on individuals in your community by making sure your animals are well-loved and cared for.
Launch a fundraiser for animal rescue.
Consider planning a fundraiser if you’re searching for a more immediate but significantly more effective approach to becoming involved in animal rescue.
The animals and rescue organizations will be appreciative of your help whether you raise money through a bake sale or supplies at work or school.
What’s Next
The types of animals and people that animal rescue organizations help are as varied. Regardless of the species they house, all of them strive to improve the lives of animals in distress. Farm sanctuaries provide animals that were earlier distressed by farming with a stimulating and comfortable environment in which to dwell. Municipal shelters can hold hundreds of animals at once, making them loud and hectic places to be. But behind all the commotion, there are animals being loved and cared for until they are reunited with their families or matched with new ones.
The next time you’re thinking about adding a furry, scaly, or feathered member to your household, look into local shelters and rescues first before weighing your other possibilities. For identifying animal rescues and the animals they have available, Adopt a Pet is a beneficial website.
Volunteer at an animal shelter in your area
