Taking In The Abused And Unwanted
@purplealabaster (22094)
United States
November 16, 2009 1:36pm CST
It seems that our home has somehow turned into a haven for abused and unwanted pets. I am not sure exactly when this happened, but I think it was a gradual progression rather than an overnight event. I do know that we have accepted several abused animals on a temporary basis until a more permanent home could be found, and somehow our home became the permanent one. In fact, I do not think that any other places were even explored, because everyone just assumed that we would decide to keep them.
Yesterday we got a call asking us whether or not we could take in another abused dog "on a temporary basis". We are having financial problems at the moment, so we were hesitant about taking in another mouth to feed. After some convincing, we agreed to take her, and the person that rescued her said that they would bring us a huge back of dog food and give us a few dollars for any extras that we might need to buy for her. We wanted to know when they were planning on bringing her here, so that we could get ready for her arrival. They said that they were already on their way! Apparently they knew that we were eventually going to say "yes". Fortunately, we have a large house and a few acres of land, so we have enough room for everybody, at least for the moment.
Are you a person that will rescue an abused animal? Do you take them in yourself, do you try to find a home for them, or do you take them to your local shelter? Have you ever been asked to do something and found out that even before you agreed to do it people were already planning on you saying "yes"? Are you a push-over for a neglected pet or will you put your foot down and say that enough is enough?
7 people like this
18 responses
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
16 Nov 09
Hi Purple
All the Dogs I have had and have now have been rescue Dogs and I have had Rescue Cats to
Gissi who is now with me and the little Fellow on my Avatar is my one now
I have rescued from homes and rescue Centres
I always wanted to open a Home for rescue Pets but was never able to
All the Rescue Pets I have had turned out to be the most loving and caring pets including little Gissi who went through a terrible time before I found him in the rescue Centre
I admire you for what you are doing but I do understand to though that it will cost a lot
Can no one help out with the Pets I mean if you did not take them where would they go
But yes I am a push over for mistreated and neglected Pets, it is hard work as you need to earn their trust but it is always worth it in the end when it is achieved
I can't take more then one little dog, as I live rented so it would not be allowed but goodness if I had a big Place I would have them all
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
17 Nov 09
Hi Purple the Problem is People always want Puppies and then when they get to much they loose Interest
Also a lot of People think that Rescue Dogs are old and do not learn and do not want the bother to devote to them and go through all the work with them at the end of the Day if you really love them you would be willing to go through all that
If you have the space, look into it about opening a Rescue home, see what help you can get, what it all involves as I think you made for that
I am glad that Sadie already has the look out for a new Home, but I have to be honest that would be one Problem I would have had if I could have gone through with my Idea to let them go as I do get attached
Let me know how things go
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I don't think that I have personally taken in an abused or unwanted pet. Though if that were to ever happen I would definitely do that if we were financially able to! It's sad to hear about abused animals, and it's even sadder to hear about strays who are eventually put down because no one adopted them!
We do have a dog that was a stray.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
16 Nov 09
Yes, it makes me very sad when I hear about abused and unwanted pets. The "unwanted" pets that we took in were mostly due to people not being able to keep them, because they didn't have enough room for them not because they didn't love or properly care for them. The abused ones, however, are obviously an entirely different story. They make me want to cry, which is probably why I am such a push-over when it comes to taking them in.
We are very fortunate that the vet here has a "no-kill" policy, unless the animal is vicious, and then I believe that it has to be a court ordered euthanasia. It makes my heart break to think that a poor animal is killed just because some heartless person abandoned it.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
16 Nov 09
We may have the same "no kill" policy here. There is a Humane Society but I don't think there is a pound here. I've lived here two years going on three, and yet I still don't know... everything there is to know about this county! lol! In any case, I think more vets should have the "no kill" policy as pets have souls!
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
16 Nov 09
We have a Humane Society here, too, but the vet for the Humane Society is our vet, who also runs an animal hospital. They often take in animals, especially when there is no room at the Humane Society. Some of the profits from the hospital go towards helping and feeding the animals that are rescued, so it really is a wonderful place. They also have volunteers that take care of the animals and sometimes take them home for the weekend, so they can be a part of a loving family, even if it is only for a couple of days, until they can find a more permanent placement.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
17 Nov 09
oh yes..i am the home for stray,dumped,evicted and elderly cats 
(and sometimes they are all of the above).matter of fact i'm taking in a foster at the end of the month til the owner gets a new place,and i am keeping their one other who just arrived.
we also will be getting a "food allowance" with cat #5.
there seems to be a big problem local with landlords who at first allow a pet,then
later insist they get rid of it once they're moved in-and the currant economy is not helping.
6 is my absolute limit though,after that i attempt to help place it elsewhere.
the one cat i had taken in years ago was one of the landlord eviction cases-i had literily grew up with this cat,and he was 17 at the time the place insisted he go
which i thought was terribly cruel.he lived another almost 6 years with me,passing 1 week short of 23.
(and sometimes they are all of the above).matter of fact i'm taking in a foster at the end of the month til the owner gets a new place,and i am keeping their one other who just arrived.
we also will be getting a "food allowance" with cat #5.
there seems to be a big problem local with landlords who at first allow a pet,then
later insist they get rid of it once they're moved in-and the currant economy is not helping.
6 is my absolute limit though,after that i attempt to help place it elsewhere.
the one cat i had taken in years ago was one of the landlord eviction cases-i had literily grew up with this cat,and he was 17 at the time the place insisted he go
which i thought was terribly cruel.he lived another almost 6 years with me,passing 1 week short of 23.@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
21 Nov 09
no,you're right-calicos usually are female.
my vet said some rare few are XXY-hermaphrodite,as this one was.
it was funny-i was hearing such a buzz when i brought him in,i knew something had to be up.they were all oohing and ahhing over him.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
19 Nov 09
it is.i read that landlord out too,after the fact because i knew the guy.
both cats in the house showed up at my door.while i didn't mind taking them in,i thought it was truly rotten of him-and probably illegal.
yea the cat that lived to almost 23 was a rare bird-i didn't know how rare though at the time-he was a "male presenting" calico.i bet if the landlord knew how rare that is..
most of mine on average live to 17 minimum.my long time vet used to tease me about that-"your cats are overweight,but they live so long"
love..that's what it is.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
19 Nov 09
I think it was probably illegal, too, unless he could prove that the cats were destroying the apartment, which is very unlikely. I did not know that there was such a thing as a "male presenting" calico. I thought that all calicos were female, so it must be pretty rare - not that I pretend to be an expert on cats, but that is what I have heard from several people that do know about them.
It is wonderful that you get to spend so many years with your pets. It is cute that your vet teases you about your cats being fat but obviously healthy and happy, since they live to be such ripe old ages. I am sure that love is the key factor in this.
1 person likes this
@strawberrybaby39 (2086)
• United States
19 Nov 09
I have taken in abused animals before and my neighbor does to. She doesn't look for homes for them she just keeps them and takes care of them and loves them. I love all pets and can't stand to watch someone hurt an animal. I normally keep them or find a good home for them. And they have to be good people before I let an animal go or I won't let the animal leave my house. I have a big heart for animals and always have.
1 person likes this
@strawberrybaby39 (2086)
• United States
20 Nov 09
I agree with you on that. Some people do think they have to be mean to bigger dogs to get them to listen to them and its not true. They are the same as a small dog. Sounds like you found some good homes for some of the dogs you have. That is always wonderful to hear they kept in contact with you about the dog. I love my dogs and I breed them and sell the babies to good homes. If I could keep all the puppies that are born I would. I have a heart for them and get very close to them. I have 3 baby puppies now and I love to spoil them. I am so close to them.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
23 Nov 09
Yes, we were very lucky that we were able to find good homes for some of the dogs. It is always hard to see them go, because I get so attached to them and want to keep them all. I think it is hard on them at first, too, since they learned to love and trust me. Ultimately, though, it is what is best for them, and once they settle in to their new place they are very happy and loved. A lot of the places have had children, and the ones that went to those homes really liked being around children. A few went to older people, and I think that was wonderful, too, because they were great companions and each got undivided attention from the other.
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
19 Nov 09
I can't stand to watch anyone hurt an animal, either. Some people think that they have to be forceful and physical with animals, especially larger dogs, to get them to listen, but that is not the case at all. I think that sometimes they do not even realize that they are really hurting the dog, because they equate "big" with tough and invincible, which is obviously not the case. Ignorance is not an excuse, though, and they should not be pet owners in the first place if they do not know how to properly care for their animals.
We do our best to make sure that any pets that we place go to good homes. We even tell them that if they become unwilling or unable to keep the pet, then we will take it back no questions asked. We had one family that took one of our dogs but had to move out of state and could not bring the dog after having him for about a year and a half. They still had our phone number, and they called us to let us know what was happening and to let us know that their neighbor was going to take him. She was an older lady that had recently lost her dog, and she used to keep on eye on him when they went on vacation. I thought it was great that they were nice enough to call and keep us informed, especially since it had been so long since they had taken him. We also got a call from the lady a few weeks later to let us know that he was adjusting well to his new home. I love happy endings like that!
@allknowing (130064)
• India
30 Jan 10
The one that I have now was an abandoned female who walked in while we were walking in. We instantly decided to keep her. She was wee bit of a pup but could eat what we gave her. She is now 2+ years a loving, bouncy pet. forever in the attitude of gratitude. I have taken care of yet another female in the next compound whose owners had left her there and had shifted residence. I took care of her litter, cleaned her place every day and saw that each pup got a home. We fed the female but we had to leave her in the market place as she came over to make her home but with her came a number of males which we simply could not accept as we had no ability to contain them.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Feb 10
Your girl is beautiful! I can see why you fell in love with her right away and decided to keep her. She looks like she is full of energy and life, and I bet that she keeps you on your toes, but in a good way.
It is so sad that the owners of the other female dog that you cared for just left her behind when they moved, especially since she was having or did have pups at the time of the move. It is great that you took care of the poor Mama dog while she was caring for her pups, though. I am so glad to hear that you were able to find all the puppies a home, too. It was very nice that you tried to keep Mama, also, but we can only do just so much. I know how hard it is to take care of a bunch of animals at one time, and that is not even getting into the financial difficulties that you would have to face. I do hope that the Mama and her male friends found homes, though.
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
2 Feb 10
I can understand how you felt, and I feel bad that you had to make that decision. It would have broken my heart if I was in your situation. Sometimes we need to do what is best for ourselves and the animals that we already have, though, and that might mean that once in a while we have to make a hard decision that hurts us, because it is not what is best for the other animal. It is very sad when we have to make choices like this, and it is even more sad that somebody did not care enough about the animal in the first place, which is how they ended up in that situation.
@allknowing (130064)
• India
1 Feb 10
What I did to the 'Mama' was with a broken heart. I had my then my 3 pets and these strays could have created a lot of nuisance if I had allowed 'Mama' to continue. I was helpless.
@lidiam84 (151)
• Netherlands
16 Nov 09
coincidently I have a cousin who's dog gave birth, she couldn't keep the 2 remaining that she didn't manage to give away... which she was giving away for free... so she had to take them to the animal shelter...
If I had the room and the financial stability I would also help abandoned dogs and other pets...
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
16 Nov 09
Fortunately, puppies and kittens are the easiest animals to place, so I think they probably went to good homes. It saddens me when people have to give them away to the shelter, but that is better then abandoning them or abusing them. I would take in more if I could, too, but we just can't afford it, especially when it comes time to take them to the vet. I hope that we will not have to go there any time soon.
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
17 Nov 09
Oh, I am very sorry to hear that. It is extremely sad that they all end up together and some otherwise healthy animals might have to be "put down" because they caught something from a sick animal. I hope that they have plans to build a better facility or at least to expand the one you already have, so that the sick animals can be quarantined until they are healthy. These things are expensive, though, and it is very difficult to find the funding for them. That is another reason we are so lucky, because part of the proceeds from the hospital go to pay for the care of the abandoned or abused pets until they can be placed in a permanent home.
@lidiam84 (151)
• Netherlands
16 Nov 09
thing is, where I live, there is no professional shelter, so they keep them and eventually all mixed up with other sick dogs that also got left their by their ex owners, so they either get sick and die or they kill them so they stop suffering or because the shelter can't quite maintain them (if their sick I mean). It's very sad when that happens.
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
31 Jan 10
My rescued cat become permanent in my house, because I love her so much. It was not easy with already two dogs on the board, but we are doing fine for 3 years so far...and my dogs love her as much as I do...
I admire people who are taking abused and unwanted pets in...
I am working away from home now and this option is not available for me.
I admire people who are taking abused and unwanted pets in...
I am working away from home now and this option is not available for me.1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Feb 10
It is great when cats and dogs get along. I know that there is a lot of stereo-typing about cats and dogs not being able to stand one another, and sometimes that is true. It is also true that sometimes dogs do not get along with each other, and sometimes cats do not get along with each other. I think that it depends on the personality of the animals as much as the species of the animals. Some of our dogs love the cats and vice versa, while others can't stand them and the cats feel the same way about them. We have enough room so that they each can have their own space when they want it, so it has worked out well, which is very fortunate, because I would never be able to get rid of any that we have right now.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
19 Nov 09
I've never been in a situation such as yours. I've rescued a couple of animals but sadly one of them was a disaster. I don't have a huge home but I do have a huge yard. I have 2 goats plus another one I'm looking after temporarily, a dog and a cat and a horrid neighbour. I could not abide a home full of cats with them underfoot always and I'm certainly in no position to feed more animals. If my living circumstances were different I might have more but this is enough for me. Also, I need to go away at least for a night when I go to visit my Dad which means handing the responsibility over to a friend and I'm not 100% comfortable with that. This is what I need to consider when I think of taking in another animal.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
19 Nov 09
Yes, I think it's great that all my animals co-exist and have each other for company. I see a lot of dogs chained up continually with no exercise and very little attention. One fellow I know gets a new dog, lets it do what it wants then chains it up so it knows what it is not allowed to do. It's not just cruel it's stupid. My neighbour belts her dog if she barks or runs off in glee when she is allowed out the front. She shouts at her and cusses then when the dog comes cowering back she hits it. I've spoken to her about it and she says..."that's how you train them". It's a beautiful, long haired, lab retriever and she keeps her indoors all the time, she is only allowed out a few minutes a couple of times a day.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
19 Nov 09
I am sorry to hear that the circumstances surrounding one of the animals that you rescued did not turn out well. Unfortunately, that happens sometimes, and it is very sad when it does. Right now the worst thing that I can think of that happened to us was that one puppy that we rescued was extremely sick, and he almost infected all our other dogs with a very serious illness. We have been really lucky, especially since we take in large dogs that have been abused, but we are also very careful.
We are fortunate that we have friends with animals that live close by us, and we take turns watching each other's pets when we go on vacation, which does not happen that often for us - we spend more time caring for their animals than they do ours, but that is alright. All the animals get along great together, and they have fun playing with each other. I think they actually get excited when one or the other of us goes away, because they get to play with the other pets. They are just excited when we come home, though.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
23 Nov 09
We have outside dogs, and they are on a run. Some people have criticized us for this, because they say that keeping a dog outside is cruel. It is not, but we checked with our vet just to make sure. The kind of dogs we have usually prefer to be outside, and keeping them cooped up inside is more cruel than letting them run relatively free and happy. We did try to force one of our outside dogs to be an inside dog before we really understood the difference. She almost hurt herself severely by jumping through a window to get outside, because she did not want to be inside. Don't get me wrong, we took her out on walks and let her run and play and did not try to confine her to a crate or anything, but just being in the house was too confining for her. She even refused to use her doghouse unless there was a severe thunderstorm, and even then she did not always use it.
Now, we let the dogs decide where they want to live. Some like to be inside, so we let them. Fortunately, these are also the ones that get along with cats. For some reason, all of the dogs that wanted to live outside do not like cats. I do not think that was why they wanted to be outside, but I do think it is funny how it worked out. We interact with all of them, and we take them for walks or car rides, etc. depending upon their likes and dislikes. They are just like people in that they each have their own distinctive personalities, likes and dislikes.
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Well, we've had our share of unwanted pets join our household over the years. I currently have 4 that are now ours, 3 of which were previously abandoned/abused. We are also taking care of a cat this winter in our garage. He showed up in our neighborhood and sort of adopted us, and my neighbors claim they are keeping him as theirs, but when winter came, he was still roaming outside with no shelter when they are away from home. I couldn't stand it, so we made access to our garage and I set up an area for him to sleep, complete with a heat lamp so that it's never below freezing for him. I am also feeding him to be sure he gets enough to eat. I also took in a cat last year who's owners could no longer keep her because they were losing their home. I had her for 10 months, and thankfully her original owners had a change in their circumstances and were able to take her back home with them. I say thankfully because she really didn't get along with my other 2 cats, and spent most of her time hold up in our bedroom - that's no way to live and now she has free reign over the whole house again. I see her sitting in the window sunning when I walk by their house.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
27 Jan 10
Are all the animals that you have taken in cats or do you have dogs, too? If you have both, do they get along well together? Until I started this discussion, I did not realize how many cats have been abandoned and abused and needed people to take them in. We used to mostly take in dogs, so I knew that there were a lot of dogs that needed good homes. However, it seems that there are just as many, if not more, cats that are in need of rescue.
Our local shelter takes in a variety of animals. One of the animals that I found unusual for them to have were ferrets. Apparently people get them when they are small and think they are cute. Then, they find out that they require a lot of care (just like any other animal), and they don't want them anymore. Bunnies and chicks are abandoned a lot, too, especially around Easter. They say that people think they are cute as babies and will be fun pets for their kids, but they do not think about how they are going to care for them, especially as they grow up. There are a lot of farms around here, so these animals get adopted, but I do not think that I want to know what happens after they have been with the adoptive family a while. I would hope that they remain as pets, but I fear that at least a few of them might end up as dinner.
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
17 Nov 09
Yes, I knew that you were a pushover and would take in strays and rescues. I also know how much you love them, and I hope that you find Sunny soon. You said that you put up fliers. Has there been any word yet?
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
17 Nov 09
I am so sorry to hear that! A long time ago, one of the neighborhood kids let our dog off his chain, and we searched for him for a long time. He was a rescue, too, and he would always be waiting at the door as soon as he heard my car coming up the road, so it was very upsetting when he did not come back right away. I know how heartbreaking it can be to have to wait and wonder. I really do hope that you find him soon.
@my_name_is_coco (4334)
• Philippines
17 Nov 09
that's the problem with me.I want to take in stray,neglected animals,and I don't have the money and space for them.now,we have several cats.we took in one stray cat,and she gave birth to several kittens already.the kittens grew up with us.now we have one stray who is very spoiled.my mom doesn't want me to take in a stray dog because she said our cats might leave.when I have a lot of money,I would probably have lots of animals at my house.
1 person likes this
@my_name_is_coco (4334)
• Philippines
18 Nov 09
God bless you for helping voiceless creatures in need...
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
17 Nov 09
I think it is great when somebody takes in a stray or rescue. Even if they can only help one it is still one less animal that needs a loving home, and that means a lot, especially to that pet. I hope that one day you are able to take in as many strays or rescues as you would like to take in.
We have both cats and dogs. There are some that actually get along very well together. Fortunately, the inside dogs get along very well with the cats. The outside dogs not so much, but they don't come in the house for very long anyways, since they do not like to be in enclosed spaces, so it really isn't an issue. We take the cats outside on a leash, but they do not go near the outside dogs, so it really works out very nicely.
@jugsjugs (12967)
•
17 Nov 09
In the past i have rescued cats as well as dogs that people could no longer afford to feed and there were no room for cats or dogs at the animal home so yes i now have 6 cats and 3 dogs as well as chickens that were also going to be killed and a rabbit that was going to get killed.I do try to do my bit and yes i would take more cats in as they are alot easier than dogs i think.
1 person likes this
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
17 Nov 09
We've taken in pets, yes. Adopted the 11 cats we have and 3 dogs, too. If we had more space and could afford more, then we'd surely adopt more pets. Unfortunately, we've already reached breaking point so we can no longer adopt any more. We did, however, try to bring the others to shelters and some have successfully been adopted but that's just about a couple of them.
I think it's a nice to thing to, to take in pets... as long as you have the capacity to do it. I quite envy that you have acres of land though. Wish I did, too. For us, it's not so much of the financial issue but the space. I think we could afford to take a few more in but we'd have no place to house them.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
19 Nov 09
Yes, that is a problem with having a bunch of animals - there always has to be someone around to take care of them. Cleaning litter boxes out is not very pleasant, but I am not sure whether or not it is worse than having to go outside umpteen times a day to walk the dogs and let them "do their business". We are finally on somewhat of a schedule, but we lose plenty of sleep when a new one comes into the household until they become used to being on a schedule. There are still times when "mother nature" calls at very bad times, but they become a lot fewer after a while.
I don't know how well kittens take to being dropper fed, but the ones that we had seemed to want to take it. I think they were just too weak to survive, especially since one only lived for a couple of hours. We thought the last one was going to make it, because it lived for almost four days. It was heartbreaking to find out that it wasn't just sleeping when we tried to wake it up for its next feeding.
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
18 Nov 09
The cat litter is one thing on its own. Having lots of cats and many litter boxes for them is a chore of its own. That's why there are always people in the house to clean them out. We never leave the house unattended because of the pets.
We have 3 dogs in the same household and it does feel tight at times. At this point, everyone has enough space to play and move around I think. They all seem to be at ease in the house.
I've had the experience of dropper feeding kittens because there were a few occasions where we'd pick up some on the street that couldn't even fend for themselves. A few couldn't even open their eyes yet so that gives indication of how old they were. All of them didn't make it. They didn't want to feed. It was sad.
1 person likes this
@samrie29 (112)
• Philippines
18 Nov 09
Hats off to all of you for doing this. I really admire what you're doing since I also love animals and used to take in stray cats. I stopped when my mom already complained that we don't have enough space to take care of them.
In as much as I would love to give shelter to these animals, my husband and I don't have enough money and space to take them in. We already have 3 male dogs at home and it would definitely be a problem if we take in cats or dogs that are not associated with them. We only have a few animal shelters here in Manila and even though their active with the campaign to save abused dogs and cats, the shelters are pretty small enough to accomodate them. When I see a poor stray dog in the streets, we try to give him food and if I see a stray kitten about to cross a busy street, I would try to put them in a safe place or at the sidewalk that way they don't get harmed by the people or the cars that are passing by.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
18 Nov 09
I think it is wonderful how many responses I have gotten from people like you that help out these poor animals. Giving food to strays and trying to keep them from getting run over helps out, especially when there is not enough room at the shelters to house all the strays in an area.
I can understand the problem with trying to take in animals when you already have some. It is difficult sometimes for the animals that are already in the house to accept a newcomer. We have been very fortunate in this regard so far, but we have enough room that we are able to keep the new ones separated at first and slowly introduce them to each other. That allows time for everybody to get adjusted to the situation, and it isn't too much change thrust on them all at once. When everybody is comfortable, then they are allowed to play together. Of course, not all the animals get along with each other, but the outside dogs are the ones that do not like cats, so it has not been an issue yet.
My mom used to tell me that I had to stop taking in strays, too. She is a big pushover, though, and we always managed to care for whatever stray I brought home, at least until we could find a suitable home for it. The injured birds and other animals had to go in the garage, however, since my dad would have freaked out if we had tried to bring them inside.
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
17 Nov 09
I've taken in a few abused dogs and 1 cat but to keep forever, not temp. I am a sucker for any animal in need of a home but also know our financial situation won't allow us to so I stand firm when I say no.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
17 Nov 09
The temporary usually turns into permanent for us, too. I can totally understand what you are saying about standing firm due to your financial situation. I am not able to do that, though, and so far it has always found a way of working itself out. I believe it will this time, too.
We may have already found a home for her, but we have to wait until they move into their new house, which they want to do before Christmas. The house is big, and they have more acres than we do (it is really a farm), so it will be a great place for her to go. That is what I need to focus on right now, so that I do not become too attached to her and not want to let her go. I want what is best for her, as I do all our other fur-babies, so I hope that it will all work out in the end.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
16 Nov 09
hi purplealabaster if I were still in a house I would surely take in an abused animal but now I am in a retirement center so I cANNOT help much as I might like to. I have found homes for
abused animals though so that was some help anyway.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
16 Nov 09
Unfortunately, I know that there are people that would love to take in these animals but cannot due to their situation, especially when they are living in a place that either does not allow pets or is not big enough to keep them. It is very important to get an animal out of an abusive situation, though, even if it means that the animal might eventually be euthanized. That might sound harsh, and I obviously do not want the latter to happen, but I still think it is better than enduring years of abuse.
If you rescue an abused animal and try to find it a good home, then you are definitely doing a wonderful thing.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
16 Nov 09
we do Llama rescue and once in a while cat rescue. Most of the time we can rehome the Llamas and so far the cats also. It is very expensive but we are glad dwe can do this work. We know we have God's help, just when things look like we can't manage anymore something or someone always shows up.
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
16 Nov 09
It is wonderful that you do this work, and I am glad that you are able to find them good, loving homes. I believe that if you try to do good, then somehow you will manage to find a way. It makes me happy that this has proven true for you, too.
I wish that more people took the time to open their hearts and homes to these animals. Abused animals can be the most loving ones imaginable. Obviously, there are cases where the abuse has turned the animal vicious, but fortunately all of ours were rescued before that could happen. I think it is a lot more common that they become more responsive to good, loving treatment, or at least that is my experience, but I am far from on expert on the subject.
@teachk (11)
• United States
17 Nov 09
Would love to take in an animal! Right now with the economy and bills we can barely get by as it is. Miss having that unconditional love a pet gives. Nowadays it looks like many that do take animals in are over doing it! Making for a bad situation for the pets and the caretaker. Hoping for a big change of the way things are handled for both parties. Pet Limits, Conditions, ETC.....
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
17 Nov 09
I know that things are difficult for most people right now, and we are having a lot of financial difficulties ourselves. It does worry me that we might end up with another mouth to feed and more vet bills than we can handle, but I just have to believe that things are going to work out. I do not think that I could handle being without a pet, even though I insist that I will never have another one every time we lose one.
Don't get me wrong, I think that I know what you mean about people taking in too many animals, which makes a bad situation for all involved. We have seen too many cases on the news where animal rescue had to be called to remove animals from places, and the conditions were disgusting. I do not know how anybody could live like that or watch their beloved animals live like that. Those places are the kind that the animals need to be rescued from not given to.
I do not think that there should be limits placed on how many pets you can have as long as you have enough room for them and the financial means to take care of them, however. If they are not being properly cared for, though, then something should definitely be done. We have had more pets at one time than some people might think is acceptable, but we have always had the room, financial means, time, and love to be able to properly care for them. That is why I have to believe that if we end up keeping Sadie, we will find a way and it will work out, because we would not keep her any other way.
