National Rescue Dog Day

There are many types of rescue organizations, and not all of them are well funded and well connected. But one thing they all have in common are people trying to make a difference in a dog’s life. Whether you pick up a dog off the side of the road or go to a facility and adopt one, rescue dogs are the best most grateful pet you could ever have. Having said that, some of them take months if not years to get over the trauma many of them suffer either by mistake or through ignorance. The things that people do to animals is not only cruel but it’s criminal. Many dogs suffer their own versions of PTSD. If you have the time to dedicate to the rehabilitation of such an animal, the bond you will create will last forever.

Many times, rescue dogs are farmed out to foster homes before they are ready to be adopted. This system helps socialize the dogs, teaching them manners and basic commands. It also helps to show the dogs that people can be trusted. I have a friend who works with a rescue organization called Wings of Love Kuwait. The rescue dogs who are abused, left in the desert for dead, or from areas where people poison them to get rid of unwanted dogs are picked up and given medical attention and shelter. They have a house in Kuwait where they keep the dogs till they can get them ready to fly to the states. Once here these dogs are sent to foster homes like that of my friend and stay with their foster family until they are ready for adoption. It is a never-ending cycle of raising money to care for and bring the dogs over, foster them and then get them adopted. But this organization has built a community that supports its mission.

Rescue, foster, and adoption is not an easy business, and believe me, no one is in it for the money. There is none. Many rescuers dip into their own savings to help the animals they are caring for; many end up in debt trying to keep the doors open.

All of them would give it up in a minute if the problem of unwanted puppies and dogs were solved. In a perfect world, every dog would have a loving home. In a perfect world, dogs would not be tortured, used as bait, used for violent amusement, or simply neglected. But it’s not a perfect world so when a dog is rescued, brought to a safe place, and treated like a feeling living creature instead of an object to own and abuse they are grateful, they are happy, and they love wholeheartedly.

Not every animal that is rescued is sick and broken, some of them were abandoned, and some are surrendered. Not all of them are mixed breeds either, as a matter of fact as many as 25% of the animals picked up and sent to shelters are purebred. There are even rescue organizations that specialize in a certain breed of dog. The niece of a friend of mine rescues Great Danes. It is easy to find the breed of dog you want these days. The resources online are seemingly limitless. But, if you want a dog with a good disposition, and fewer health issues, get a mutt!