The Rescue Rant

Rescue is a difficult business. You feel frustrated and powerless most of the time, and it makes you nuts.

A dog in OR is dog-aggressive, but human-social. (Opposite of me, then, eh?) The difficulty of placing this one dog has STOPPED this group from taking in more dogs, who, presumably, are at risk of euthanasia in public shelters. Is it better to euthanize one dog with known issues when that opening could save the lives of possibly dozens more dogs? What if those dogs are dogs with no issues?

If I were able to show this rescue group how to address and resolve the issues of this dog, I could potentially save not only this dog, who could be placed, but also the dogs that are "disappearing" while this dog puts a wrench in the works. I can't afford just the transportation costs to help in person.

So, while I am willing and able to leave my family at home, put my local clients on hold, travel solo across country, and spend 2-3 (probably painful -- fibro doesn't like travel) days helping out... I don't have the funds for a plane ticket or accommodations to do it.

ARGH!!

A PA pit bull rescue group contacted me about some older bullies with issues who they cannot place. Their request was for any places that provide permanent care for unadoptable dogs. I only know of Best Friends, in Kanab, UT, home of TV's 'Dogtown', who, I can imagine, has their hands full.

So now, I think about the two bullies who I might be able to help, but to whom I can't in good conscience expose foster families & their neighborhood.

ARGH!!

I also think about how much I want to go to Best Friends. As a volunteer. They have paid openings, but if I can support myself without taking funds from them, well, isn't that more dogs that I can help?

Yes, I am doing what I can, given my situation, but, man, if I could figure out how to change my situation...

There's always so much more to do.

If I figured out how to make people care enough not just to turn their twitter pic green or throw money at a problem, but to actually GIVE. To donate free effort, expecting nothing in return... I could leave this planet a better place than I found it.

It frustrates me that most people only care with their feelings. "Oh, yes, isn't that awful?..." If you care about something, you put your action where your heart is. If you are not putting action where your heart is, how much do you really care?

I'm just a small business owner barely scraping by. I don't have a spouse to fund me. I have a dog I can barely feed-- no way I could afford a child! I have medical issues and no insurance. I have tremendous sympathy for people in difficult situations. But if I can find a way to give, why can't folks who are in MUCH better situations find a way?

I have no patience for the "good" religious folks who diligently attend church and pray for God to fix things. Didn't your Jesus stir up trouble? Didn't he walk the walk? Isn't that supposed to be your example? Get busy. Give until it hurts. Don't just sit around thanking God with your mouth for all your blessings. Or, *eyeroll* asking for more?!?

Sticking a Jesus fish on your car and showing up at church every week is a show that only the people who do it believe is a contribution to something!

Cats & even some dogs are being euthanized because families can't be bothered to share their shelter & dump out some kibble. Children are encountering more bullying issues than ever, because parents neglect the basic responsibility they DELIBERATELY assumed when creating those children. Those neglected children are producing children-- how are they going to turn out? -- because no one can be bothered to explain why and how, say, a 17-yr-old Alaskan child can prevent pregnancy.

But, yeah, why don't you quote me a text you spent hours memorizing instead of doing something for those cats or dogs or kids or dying humans? I'm sure that's what Jesus would have done.

Iranians are bleeding & even dying for what they believe in. It disappoints me to realize that the legacy of America, of fighting for what we believe in, not for personal or familial financial gain, but in defense of the basic rights of all,... that legacy has been dropped. America, who once would die so others could live, has become soft.

It seems less than coincidental that it occurred at the same time that America's breed, the American Pit Bull Terrier, who served in previous wars as the symbol of our nation, loyal & strong, began to lose the very qualities that made it so. Because of the all-pervasive value of short term personal (or familial) financial gain, at ANY cost -- from the ghetto to the boardroom. America is about making that money.

If the pursuit of wealth is the American Dream, wake me up. I know I'll never be wealthy. Functional, but never healthy. But, dammit, I will die following my conscience.

I'll be cleaning up messes I didn't create until the day I physically can't.

Knowing this is why rescue people are nuts. We care too much, we can do too little, and we can't fight apathy or stupid.

Let me know if you have a effective solution. Genocide is not one.