Gift of....

I shouldn't do it, I know it, but I still do.  I read the pet rescue sites - about the dogs and cats and other animals who are found, what happened and their quest for a 'forever' home.  In a society of kill shelters, kill organizations (like PETA) we still have a strong network of rescue people. Some like our friends Sonia and Sally take it to heart when an animal needs to find a new home, or never had a proper home at all.  We've helped when we could, and in the past have taken part in livestock, companion and wild animal rescues - not to mention the occassional aggie!  I've been reading about a place in Alberta and how most of their dogs come from the dump where they have been dumped.  That is terrible for so many reasons - the least of which is it cruel.  We have our own 'dump' dog stories - many of which are because someone got a puppy who soon became a dog (ie: no longer little, cute or easy to care for) and then became 'trash'. 

Cody was a dump dog who is still a damaged soul.  Emma, the Elkhound,  was dropped off in the country, which is terrible but when you think about the fact that she is elderly and mostly blind, it becomes unconscionable.  We tried to find her owners and to no avail so she is a self-placed rescue.  We love her and she has her seeing eye cat and pal Abby (who is also a rescue but a Pyr).  Our cats either self-placed or found and growing up almost all of our companion animals were rescues of one sort or another.

What I cannot understandm, what I cannot fathom, is how people can choose to do terrible things to animals (okay we do things to other people too but people for the most part have some better defenses than animals).  They choose to be careless, neglectful, cruel, unaware and they choose to be irresponsible.  They aren't always 'dregs' often they are people you would never suspect (like PETA who eutanizes over 80% of their surrendered animals).  They are movie stars who are dog fighters, veterinarians who abuse animals in their care, unknowing and ignorant people who don't have a clue and no desire to get one.

So what is my point?  It is simple - choose to NOT be any of the above.  Choose to be a caring, informed person who would choose to rescue an animal, to provide them care until their final hours, choose to make a difference.  If you cannot foster or adopt then maybe consider other ways to help - besides sending money to the big name organizations where you don't know where the money goes.  I mean HSUS, PETA and others who use thier huge budgets for many things but animal care isn't one of them.  Support local no kill shelters, rescue organisations and rescuers. Be a relay driver, a short term foster home or anything you wish.  That would be the gift of life for an animal - and with Abby sitting here watching Luke play I cannot think of a better reason.  Where would she be if her start in life hadn't ended up here?  Where would Patches, Emma or Nick, Cody, Andy, Harley...the list goes on - where would they be?  I know our lives would be less rich, less full of memories and yes less full of hair, care and stress too!!

Think of your animals and those without families this Christmas - and remember the first Christmas was celebrated in a barn!