Should we put resources into saving the sick, the old and the aesthetically imperfect pets in shelters when there are so many perfectly healthy, young and adorable pets being killed every day in this country?
Ask Wendy.
Priority: Life
Should we put resources into saving the sick, the old and the aesthetically imperfect pets in shelters when there are so many perfectly healthy, young and adorable pets being killed every day in this country?
Ask Wendy.
I love her!
Sent from my iPhone
The question mistakenly presumes we can do only one or the other. But we can absolutely do both, so no “hard decision” even required here. (I know you know this, YesBiscuit, but too many remain too impassive to think through and beyond this threadbare argument.) I have — so far — adopted five rescue dogs (not all at once!) and they generously allowed me to hang out with them through illness, the wonky butt saga (enough said), and the inevitable complications of aging. And I would have devoted a tyrannosillion more resources to them for just one more day. Best cost-benefit ratio ever. And “Good morning!” to you, lovely dog model for today’s photo. Your ears are bee-you-tee-ful. :)
I don’t think the question presumes we can only save sick pets OR only save healthy pets. I think it asks the reader to consider whether we can save them all and if it’s worthwhile to do so. There are no hard decisions WRT lifesaving when it comes to no kill. The only people claiming to make hard decisions are those committed to killing or those committed to faux no kill. If your priority for shelter pets is life, it’s not a question at all.
Beagles have opinions. Disregard the Beagle’s opinions at your own peril.
I had a discussion like this with one of my local councilmen. He thought that “difficult” cats were not going to be readily adoptable and it was pointless to try. I told him about my all black battle-scarred feral with torn ears and shabby coat…and how much I love him in all his tattered glory. He said, “I’m sure that’s the case, but you have to admit that not everyone WANTS a cat like that.” I told him that we didn’t need EVERYONE to adopt a cat like that, it just takes ONE person to adopt a cat like that and even the ugly ones deserve a chance. After all, some of us *like* the less than perfect ones.
Well said. I just want the pets I fall in love with – whether it be from reading their story, seeing their photo, meeting them in person or whatever else. Someone else’s opinion of their adoptability is irrelevant, since I’ve already fallen in love with the pet. Shelters and rescues who refuse to even give a pet *the chance* to have someone fall in love with them because they are deemed “less adoptable” (which for some rescues, translates to “less likely to generate a profit”) are neither sheltering nor rescuing.
On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 10:32 AM, YesBiscuit!
I love what you said..There are currently 6 dogs in my house. they all have something wrong with them… like people I don’t believe there is such a thing as a perfect pet. And they all deserve to live and be loved.
Every cat & dog deserves a good life & every single one are worth saving. I, like mikken, prefer the imperfect ones who seem to be more grateful, wiser & probably more deserving because of a tuff life they’ve had.
I am to this day still amazed at the continual killing in “shelters”/pounds across this nation. I don’t understand people who kill animals for their job or for any reason. It’s still murder no matter how much you dress it up under any other name. You can polish a turd, but it won’t shine, still stinks & your hands are full of shit.
Ask our cat, Cheeto. He’s FIV positive but he doesn’t care. Looks like a bulldog and plays like a kitten. The vet advising the rescue group tells them to kill such cats and even tells people that when they phone the clinic, without even seeing the cats.
Ask our 12-year-old rescued cat who was going to be killed because he had symptoms of diabetes last year. He’s off insulin and is now healthy, playful, strong, and full of life.
How does the heart make that distinction? Either you can love or you can’t. And just the same I’m pretty sure all the healthy and the sick can take the love equally.
Beautiful photo
Great photo of a special girl. Thanks for sharing.
Definition of imperfection (n)
im·per·fec·tion [ ìmpər fékshən ]
fault: something that makes a person or thing less than perfect
faultiness: the possession of faults or defects
Synonyms: flaw, defect, deficiency, blemish, fault, limitation, blot, failing, shortcoming, weakness
My rescue dogs are 4, 10 & 12 years old & respectively, none are perfect. From allergies to seizures & blindness … I think I just described a rather populus group of humans. Shall I decide if they should live or die as well? Oh, wait … can’t do that, can I.