I am bit disheartened when I read negative views on Jean's shelter or
any shelter that is really trying to make a difference. I'm trying hard
to understand why anyone would take a hard line against someone because
they need assistance. Why is it a rescuer's responsibility alone to
support a community's off-cast lives, either human or in this case
non-human?
Please bear with me as I think outloud -
Human organizations/charities = Save the Children, Feed the Children -
oh wait - rather than list each separately, maybe just a reference to
some of the charities that are repeatedly asking for donations.
Please visit the link below for a list of some of the human and even a
few non-human (plant and animal assisting) organizations that ask for
help, including monetary assistance, from on a daily to an annual basis
- http://www.carsquad.com/charitable_giving.htm - if the link is not
live, please cut or copy and paste it into a new browser window address
box and hit whatever makes the search engine search. This site lists
almost 450 charities - many of whom you probably Have Heard and who in
their own way beg for financial assistance on an on-going basis. Why
is it OK for them to solicit assistance, but it is not OK for a local
rescue - especially for the care of what I'm thinking is YOUR pet of
choice - or I think it is...
Do you know what it costs to get vet care for a ferret? Do you know
what it costs to feed, groom and medicate a ferret? NOW multiply that
number by about 100. There's a figure for you to consider.
Now I think about how Jean and most other rescues have given up their
home space, their income; given up their freetime and vacations; no new
clothes or fine foods, and -- well that list goes on too doesn't it?
They also give up any pride they may have had in order to ask for help
to feed and get vet care to save these lives. Do you really think
honest rescuers WANT to ask, much less beg, for help? And how sad they
usually are in a position to have to ask for help - why aren't you
already there helping in your own community - whether local, state,
national or planetary - it's all a community of one type or another?
Time is precious as well. What rescuer really has enough time for the
humans in their lives, including themselves? While these fuzzies are
in rescue, If it's not rushing off to a vet for routine care or an
emergency, or hurrying to pick up a frightened ferret at a govt.
shelter or pound (or 2 or 10), then it's exhaustion from cleaning,
medicating, feeding, rotating and supervising the unending circulation
of needy fuzzies, from breeder to grave often making a pitstop in
rescue.
So before you criticize a rescue, please first ask yourself - What am
I doing to end wholesale breeding and distribution of non-humans? Are
you making any attempts at getting laws PASSED, then Enforced (Federal,
state and local) to prevent greedy humans from allowing or making a
couple of animals copulate to produce a litter of offspring so that
they can be sold in order to produce the all mighty buck-in-a-pocket
for the human?
Then ask yourself - What am I doing to help with the lives that are
already part of the cycle of - "Oh what a cute baby, I simply must
have one" to "Get that animal out of here, I do not want to care for
it anymore" - (and that's whether the problem is lack of training -
human fault, or shedding or other hygiene problem - human intolerance,
or lack of willingness to share MONEY to keep or treat a pet even to a
minimum standard of proper care - human s (well I'm about to get wound
up so I'll stop that there) and then, if lucky, this pet ends up in
another home or A RESCUE (pet retention problem - lack of respect for
a non-human life problem).
If you have not dedicated yourself to helping with the HUGE numbers of
unwanted, ill, injured or just plain needy non-humans, WORLDWIDE, then
fine that's your choice. But you only make yourself appear selfish,
intolerant, and maybe even a little ignorant of the reality of rescue
when you suggest that a rescuer is incompetent or irresponsible for
trying hard to save lives that others ignore and appealing to the
public for help in saving these lives. Shall we appoint you to
determine which life is worth saving and which needs to be snuffed out?
You DO NOT HAVE to help, but please think - just because help comes
ONCE - or even once a year - this absolutely does not mean that the
situation is "fixed". Rescue is an ongoing problem which requires
ongoing funding.
WHO if not JEAN is going to give these guys sanctuary? Are you doing
it? Are you taking in fuzzy after fuzzy because by golly the A** up
the street or across town is not compassionate enough to care about a
non-human animal's life?
What is your solution to where these fuzzies should go? ALL of the
rescues are full and if per chance a few are not full right now -
by the time we level the waters they all will be, yet more fuzzies
continue to be surrendered to rescues - daily.
"Are there no prisons?" asked Scrooge. Or city or county
shelters/pounds? ... "And the Union workhouses?" demanded Scrooge. "Are
they still in operation?" Other rescues - are any available? ... "The
Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" said Scrooge.
Rehoming or Euthanasia or what just set them free? ... "Oh! I was
afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to
stop them in their useful course," said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to
hear it."
IF there was somewhere else safe for these bodies and souls to go, I
would think they would already be there. Again I don't know of any
rescue that is not full or over-flowing. How many are you fostering?
How much are you donating? Why are you criticizing?
If you're not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.
Please change teams, come to the side of those trying to save as many
lives as they can and trying to educate humans that non-humans are NOT
expendable - disposable.
Here are some truths... No one maintains a rescue in their home in
order to get free pets and they certainly are not trying to get rich.
Rescue in not easy. It is hard work, it is VERY expensive, and the
number of hateful people out there that will slander, bad-mouth and do
seemingly anything to hurt someone who is trying hard only to help is
limitless. And their bad-mouthing is contagious.
So rather than being one of the jerks who tears down an entity that is
trying to do good, rather than complain about the fact that rescues
need help not just today but EVERY $#%& day, rather than attack
someone's character because YOU don't agree with what they are doing,
why not GET INVOLVED. Try to understand the huge committment a rescuer
has made and rather than show a lack of character yourself, step up to
the plate, join hands with a rescuer and HELP! on an on-going basis.
ALL GOD'S CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL - think about it before you speak
ill.
* The preceding is Definitely My Opinion as I pray for human compassion
and enlightenment.
Vicki Montgomery
Tricks and Treats Rescue
Greater Houston/Galveston Texas
713-472-6599
PayPal: [log in to unmask]
Email: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/FerretCare/ - Join ferret care and
share your care experiences
"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things,
man will not himself find peace." ~ Dr. Albert Schweitzer
[Posted in FML 5476]
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