Joy for Both the Rescuer and the Rescued Pet

It doesn’t matter who you ask, most people who have rescued their dog, cat, horse or whatever, feel they got the best end of the deal. The stories of their past are most times too horrible to mention so they don’t. The new owners of rescued pets agree it’s too sad to look back. The void each has filled in the other’s lives outweighs any bad memories.

One place you can always find uplifting pet rescue stories is Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. It is in Kanab, Utah and is a no kill sanctuary. Every day hundreds of visitors come to brush, walk and pet dogs, cats and horses; they even have some birds. They allow what they call “sleepovers” with the dog of your choice to get to know them better. Best Friends has lodging designed especially for this. The person is asked to fill out a questionnaire on how the dog reacted and behaved. This gives the staff and potential pet adopters better knowledge of the animal.

Another phase of rescue is fostering young kittens or puppies that are not yet ready for adoption. The animals are brought into the foster home and many times live with existing pets. The people who foster are tremendously beneficial to the animal’s socialization. Being exposed to other people and animals is always a plus for the person who gives the animal a permanent home. Veterinarians and animal behaviorists have determined that it is behavior issues that send the rescued animal back to the shelter.

It’s obvious that there is joy beyond explanation for all who are involves in animal rescue. Most staffers are volunteers and confess that they would take all the animals home if they could.