Introduction
Animal rescue is a huge thing, it seems. You can see it in the media, you hear about it from people who work with animals and even from your friends and family. But do we really care about it? In this article I will try to answer that question by talking about what the reality of animal rescue is like today and how you can help us change this reality for the better!
Animal rescue should be the norm
Animal rescue should be the norm. Let us normalise the simple act of helping an animal in need. Rescue, especially within cities is mainly of domestic animals. We as human beings have a duty and responsibility toward the animals that we breed. We breed them for food, clothing and the pleasure of keeping them as pets.
Animal rescue is about saving animals, and giving them the care they need, but it’s also about giving us all an opportunity to give back to another living creature who needs help. When schools teach kindness and equality, it must aim for compassion for all life- not just human beings. Children usually have an innate need to care for animals and are drawn to them.
It is also important to note that children who show violent tendencies toward animals mature into human beings who have the potential to harm people. So observing and cultivating a society of caring compassionate individuals is in everyones best interest.
As we’ve already mentioned in our previous article on how much money you can make from being an animal rescuer (or shelter volunteer), animals need to be rescued from many different situations: neglectful owners, abuse cases or natural disasters like floods or fires.
How do you get people to care about animals?
Many people do not care about animals and even less are concerned about rescue or rescuing animals. It is an abject failure of educational systems worldwide to not ‘teach compassion’ It sounds like an oxymoron because it is – compassion is an emotion and is difficult to teach. But like we teach manners and ‘good behaviour’ unless schools step up and teach compassion our future generations are in peril.
Are rescues mostly scams?
The unfortunate reality is many rescues are scams. There’s a lot of questionable activity going on in the animal rescue industry. Many rescuers are caught red-handed stealing animals from their charges or selling them to pet stores. This unfortunately puts honest dedicated organisations at risk.
If you are considering adopting an abandoned pet, make sure you research the organization before giving them your hard-earned money. If they’re not transparent about their finances (or if they don’t have any), then don’t trust them!
Rescuers don’t get enough funding for their work.
Rescuers don’t get enough funding for their work.
Rescue centers need money to run and provide services for animals in need of care. Some rescues need donations to pay for food, shelter and medical expenses which relate to the care of their animal. Others may also have administrative costs or even transport fees that must be paid out of pocket by volunteers who want to help these animals find permanent loving homes. The reality or animal rescue is that it is expensive and requires dedication.
Who are rescuers? Are they professionals?
Rescuers are mostly volunteers who who may have limited knowledge of animals and animal care in general. They may or may not be experts in this field, but they do know they want to help and most of them are willing to learn. Many volunteer to learn how to take care of the animals they rescue. If you decide to volunteer or help with animal rescue it is best to get some basic training. Spend some time working in a shelter (large or small) take instructions and learn from the ‘bottom -up” It is the only way to get hands on experience in the field of animal welfare.
I love animals is an emotion. I work for animals is action.
Rescue without funding is like a swimming pool without water
Centers require adequate funding in order to be successful and to provide the needed services. If a rescue center does not have enough money for the basics of
Staff salaries– without staff to feed, clean and treat the animals and the facility no shelter (big or small) can survive
Vet bills– this is probably the most ‘expensive’ part of running a shelter. Most of the animals that come into a shelter often need extensive medical care. If you really want to help a shelter think about “sponsoring a vet” so that the shelter has consistent vet care.
Food – depending on whether the shelter deals with large or small animals or a mix of both, food is an essential.
Advertising– It is also important that rescue centers have adequate advertising. If no one knows you exist they cannot bring animals to your facility. Once a rescue dog or cat is where they can receive proper care and treatment they can placed back into society again in the case of street animals. Publicity for your good work is not helpful for your shelter, it educates people on the benefits of being a productive part of society.
You can help even if you have limited funds
Only few people really care about animals and those who do may not have the means to help them. We depend heavily on social media and digital tools for our daily lives, if you have access to a digital device such as a phone you can help shelters or rescuers co ordinate rescues or spread awareness.
There are many people who care about animals, but they can’t afford to help them. They help with their time or lend their skills such as digital marketing, or writing. Vets often donate their time to help with medical care. Volunteering is probably one of the most common ways people contribute to the cause of animal rescue.
Genuine rescuers or Frauds?
Various kinds of money transfer is used by some rescuers but there are lots of cases where money transfer services are used to steal money or personal information of donor fraudulently or illegally in order to receive donations without involving rescuers at all!
First, you should know that the purpose of this article is not just about how to identify a scammer. It also aims at helping you avoid a scammer and prevent yourself from falling into their traps.
Second, if someone asks for your credit card details online then it’s best not to provide them with any information unless absolutely necessary as most times these requests come from criminals who want access to your bank account so they can make fraudulent transactions using it.
We all know that animals are our friends and we can’t imagine life without them. Because of this we want to do everything we can to make sure they stay healthy and happy.
Conclusion
Animal rescue – what is the reality? It i is not just about saving animals from certain death or taking them out of an environment that doesn’t suit them. In many cases it is also about caring for animals and finding them a new home. Rescuers care about their animals, but sometimes they might need help from people. There are many ways you can donate money towards their efforts or provide other resources that allow rescuers to continue their work.
Rescue work about is using your head, not your heart. It is difficult but learn to deal with the problem at hand without becoming emotional it will benefit your rescue. It’s not about you- it’s about them.
