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I am sitting here thinking what do I spend my money on? It’s always some rescue puppy/dog or cat/kitten, it is really unbelievable, the minute I step outside it’s animal wreckage out there. Probably the same for people, but people can handle themselves – more or less. At least they don’t bleed in the middle of a highway.
I mean I could book a luxury night at a hotel or give myself a spa day or go to a short trip somewhere but what do I do instead?
I have NO fun (and no time for other stuff) running around going to vets, getting supplies, publishing pictures and trying to find a final home for the puppy on the right picture.
I found her on my way back home from signing some papers for my new piece of land (it is the neighbor plot of land right next to my house by the river, maybe I should open an animal sanctuary there, it is good money from what they are taking from me after all), she was lying in the middle of the road, her nose bleeding profusely and a van coming right at her. If I hadn’t stopped them they would have probably run over her.
So, I picked her up in my car and again the suffering began. I really go through an emotional roller coaster with each of these helpless creatures and it is so exhausting.
Not to forget the smell in my car, it takes around 2 weeks for that smell to vanish (I should check Pinterest for some ideas on a fresh car smell).
I did not give her a name, it’s a girl, she is a cutie, look at her:
She is very quiet, very small, and very soft and my heart breaks when I look at her (I really don’t know how to stop being so sensitive, it is literally “beyond my control” like the soul-crushing sentence from the movie “Dangerous Liaisons” 1988).
So I ordered this dog house for her, I hope she survives long enough to use it when it arrives in about 2 weeks’ time:
I checked online some dog houses and if you need a good quality dog house then this is a good one:
So what was the joke: if God wants me to save 1 animal then 5 it is?
So in one of the boxes at the vet in cold and dark there was a blind kitten, all wet … guess what I did? Took it home as it had zero chance of survival there (I am warming it up with the small heater):
You see my home is not my home anymore … sigh…this thing meows on my every move, it is due to its blindness that it is so clingy and needy
Here are all the reasons why you should not take home a rescue animal (do as I say don’t do as I do 🙂 ) when you already have a cat at home, if you don’t have a way to isolate it and create a healthy barrier between both animals:
Health Problems
This is my biggest concern, rescue animals may have underlying health issues, either due to genetics or poor living conditions prior to rescue. This is particularly true for stray cats and dogs. If you already have a pet at home this is very risky as the new animal may transfer some disease to your domestic pet.
My cat is older, about 6 years old, and already vaccinated (this word brings out the trauma of the past years when I was not allowed in shops and places) so the risk of catching a potential disease is lower, but for a young pet, I highly recommend you don’t bring home a rescue animal.
Common health problems include heartworm, fleas, ticks, dental disease, or chronic conditions like diabetes or arthritis. A pet flu virus especially in winter time is no joke either.
If the situation is desperate then you absolutely must separate the two animals as much as you can. Only after you have taken the necessary steps to eliminate potential diseases in the rescue animal you can begin the process of their introduction. So an initial quarantine of the rescue pet is an absolute must.
Compatibility with Other Pets
If you already have pets, introducing a rescue animal can be challenging. There can be issues of territoriality, aggression, or jealousy. For instance, a rescue cat might not get along with an existing pet cat, leading to fights or stress.
My Puffy keeps hissing at the blind kitten and in general, she has never accepted any other new pet, be it a puppy, a sick cat, a small dog…everything I have brought home was very traumatizing for her.
The worst behavior was throwing up and at one point she even stopped licking herself. It’s like a matter of life and death for her and so far it has been impossible for me to keep another animal in my home. So you must be prepared that this worst-case scenario can also happen.
Across my balcony, there was a case where a pit bull was locked on the neighbor’s balcony with a small dog, and the two got in a horrible fight with blood and all. The small dog was crying so loud and there was absolutely nothing anyone could do, the pit bull kept biting the smaller dog, and everyone was watching in horror. Luckily someone called the owner and he came back from biking but it was a true drama. The dogs probably got along just fine until this happened and the owner left them in peace going for his bike ride, so you really never know what can happen with two or more animals left alone.
My Puffy is my number one pet, if something happened to her because of me I will never forgive myself.
Behavioral Issues
This one is really tough! A cute look doesn’t necessarily mean cute behavior but people often judge the book by the cover.
This is an issue even with pets raised by the owner let alone rescue animals. For example, in my hometown, I’ve seen so many huskies let loose just because they were adorable as pups, but when they grow up it is very difficult to maintain a dog of this strength, so people just release them on the streets.
My neighbor just rescued a beautiful husky dog, truly has an amazing look but she simply can’t contain it, it is so wild and strong, so I am announcing it today for adoption (btw I got stoned on the Facebook group when I posted him, even threatened with a lawsuit for animal neglect, and the dog isn’t even mine, I’m just trying to save him, so you can add behavioral issue from people around you too on top of everything):
Many rescue animals come from backgrounds of abuse, neglect, or lack of socialization. This can lead to a range of behavioral issues such as aggression, fearfulness, anxiety, or destructive behavior.
For example, a dog rescued from a fighting ring may show aggression towards other dogs or even humans.
I’ve also seen many pit bulls or stafford bull terriers with many fight wounds and starving on the streets. I loved one Stafford very much, it was an awesome dog but people were afraid of it to the point that they finally poisoned it. I never got over its death, I will always remember this dog.
Adjustment Period
The transition to a new home can be stressful for rescue animals. They may exhibit behaviors like hiding, lack of appetite, or toilet accidents. For example, a rescue dog or cat might hide under furniture for days, refusing to interact with its new family.
For me the worst is the mess they make in my car due to fear, they vomit or pee or bleed in my car, how do I explain to them not to fear as I want only the best for them?
Then there is the mess in my tiny hallway and all the cleaning after them…
Animals are usually not afraid of me, quite the opposite, some of them are so needy of me to the point that I am going crazy from their constant need for attention.
Check this curled ball right at the front of my room, it wants so bad to be beside me but it is not cleansed from fleas and it needs a proper bath after it heals from the flu. It is blind poor little thing, I really don’t know what to do with it. My Puffy keeps hissing at it.
( One thing I look forward to if I have 2 cats in my apartment is goodbye flies and bugs forever! 🙂 I still hope for someone to adopt it though)
Just how helpless these creatures really are is the fact that after I took it from the shelter I got the green light to do whatever I want with this little life: if I decide I can even euthanize it, literally they told me this…
Training and Rehabilitation
Some rescue animals may require extensive training and rehabilitation to adjust to their new life. This can be time-consuming and sometimes requires professional help. An example is a rescue dog that has never lived indoors needing house training and basic obedience training.
Legal and Liability Issues
In rare cases, there might be legal issues, especially if the animal has a history of biting or aggression. This could lead to liability concerns if the animal were to injure someone.
In my country, there is a law that if you get bitten by a dog the state will give you money for the damage. Ever since they voted for this law it has been SO abused and many street dogs have been wrongly accused of being aggressive when they were only provoked. So for some people, this is basically an extortion of money and if you have a pet you are in danger of getting abused by these awful people.
This is the reason why you need to get any animal pet to a vet and get it vaccinated with a dog passport and all as this will prove you are taking proper care of the animal and that it does not have diseases so that they will let you go more easily. Please remember these are animals and as we all know people are getting treated more and more like this…
Unexpected Costs
Rescue animals might require unforeseen veterinary care, specialized diets, or behavioral therapy, which can be costly.
Rescuing animals can really have a significant impact on your money. In most cases, these animals are neglected and they need everything, and this only gets worse when the animal has something broken or an operation is required.
Animal rescuers are truly in very small numbers and they absolutely can’t sustain all the expenses that keep piling up. We have groups for funding rescue missions but even there the same people keep donating and it becomes really impossible to keep up with all the costs.
We also have vets that lower the costs for treating a stray animal but still, even with the cuts, the costs rise really quickly. Many debts are open at these vets and I think they are never closed.
But even if you don’t have much money you can still provide at least the basic needs like some food and shelter for the animal and this can mean the difference between life and death for the animal. Then you can connect with local groups and with good luck split the cost.
Here is a short version of the Starfish story I love and which I repeat in my mind whenever I feel overwhelmed with these rescue missions:
A young man was walking along a beach where thousands of starfish had been washed ashore. He saw an old man picking up starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean. Curious, the young man asked why he was doing this, given that there were so many starfish and the beach stretched for miles. “How can your effort make any difference?” he asked. The old man picked up another starfish, sent it back into the water, and said, “It made a difference to that one.”
As for the rescued puppy, she got her name: Mony, she is currently at my weekend house and my neighbor gives her food and checks up on her and she is doing just fine!
