Opinion: What the typical animal rescue narratives leave out (2024)

In the typical animal rescue story, “before” images might show a sweet pup with matted fur and haunted eyes abandoned in a bleak part of town; the “after” has it joyfully romping in a sleek suburban home, given a new life by a righteous savior. This almost religious parable of redemption has been the standard since the early days of the no-kill/rescue movement. Humane organizations love its emotional appeal, which prompts involvement and brings in donations. So do ordinary citizens because it suggests bad humans are to blame for the awful fact that millions of pets sit trapped in America’s shelters while offering a ready fix (Adopt Don’t Shop!) And it gives us, potential adopters, the chance to play the hero.

But what if that story’s flawed? While researching and writing my book, “Rethinking Rescue,” I spent a lot of time with Lori Weise, the founder of L.A.’s Downtown Dog Rescue who has helped the pets and people of this city’s struggling, underserved communities since the 1990s. And I learned what the typical narrative leaves out.

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Some people truly are terrible to animals. They surrender them to shelters when they become inconvenient; they neglect, exploit and brutalize them. But many, even most, of the dogs and cats that roam the streets or languish behind shelter bars were not, as one well-known ASPCA ad suggests, beaten or “locked in a cage alone and left to die.” They weren’t victims of cruelty. Like our society’s other throwaways — foster kids, the incarcerated — these animals were far more likely to have begun their lives in poverty.

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Around 20 million American pets live in poverty with their owners, and millions more at poverty’s edges. Their people’s class affects these animals’ fates. When people can’t afford spay or neuter surgery, their pets disproportionately produce unwanted (and later surrendered) litters. If a pet gets loose and is taken by animal control to a shelter, its owner is not allowed to take it home without paying a “redemption fee.” Some people who love their pets can’t afford the cost of veterinary care, which has climbed more than 60% in the last 10 years; if a pet becomes sick or injured, they surrender it to the shelter, sometimes in the mistaken belief that an on-site veterinarian will treat it. Many pet owners can’t find pet-friendly rentals or afford extra (often nonrefundable) deposits or “pet rent” — charges that disproportionately affect those with low-income and communities of color.

And these people’s relationships with their pets affect what happens to them. Renters get evicted when landlords suddenly institute or enforce “no pets” rules. Some pet owners who are unhoused stay on the street if the alternative is a refuge that won’t allow a dog or cat. Children are traumatized when their parents’ economic struggles separate them from a beloved pet.

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The animals that fill shelters are less likely to have belonged to humans who abused or didn’t love them than to those who lacked education, information and, most of all, money.

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The conventional rescue narrative, repeated by activists who are largely middle-class or affluent, renders these humans invisible — way stations on a pet’s road to a “better” home. Or it lumps them with the true bad guys, whose animals are better off elsewhere. It feeds the contempt that too many Americans already feel for the less fortunate. It’s easy to say something like “I’d sleep on the street before I gave up my dog” when you don’t face that choice.

And practically, this conventional narrative doesn’t solve the problem that America has too many pets in too many shelters.

It’s clear that human poverty is a major driver of pet loss and surrender. During the 2008 recession, shelters across the nation reported being overrun with “a tide of displaced dogs and cats.” Similarly, in 2022, as COVID-19-era child tax credits and some eviction protections expired while inflation grew, surrender numbers exploded. Even in good times, relinquishment rates are consistently higher in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Adoption alone cannot address this.

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Weise and Downtown Dog Rescue radically flipped the equation. At a time when no one else did it, they helped the unhoused treat, feed, sterilize and keep their pets. Downtown Dog Rescue offered an array of services to low-income pet owners, such as community clinics that provided flea treatments, microchips and vaccinations. They handed out collars and leashes; they paid to redeem and license impounded animals; they provided access to spay and neuter surgery and vital veterinary care, including humane euthanasia. Those senior and terminally ill pets “dumped” at shelters often belong to a family that didn’t know of or couldn’t afford a better way to end the suffering.

A counselor Downtown Dog Rescue stationed at a high-intake shelter asked families considering surrender, “What can I do to help you keep your pet?” — and then did it. Through compassion, understanding and tangible assistance, tens of thousands of at-risk animals stayed out of crowded shelters and with the people that loved them.

The kind of programs Weise pioneered are more mainstream these days, but the old narrative has never lost its hold. It’s time to let it go. Powerful human-animal bonds exist across neighborhoods, races, ages, genders and classes. We can condemn abusers while understanding that those whose only “crime” is being poor deserve help, not blame. The endless flow into shelters, Weise said almost a decade ago, “isn’t a pet problem or a people problem, it’s a poverty problem.”

Carol Mithers lives in L.A. and serves an aging and very demanding rescue dog. Her newest book is “Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and the Story of America’s Forgotten People and Pets.”

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Opinion: What the typical animal rescue narratives leave out (2024)

FAQs

What is animal rescue summary? ›

An animal rescue group or animal rescue organization is a group dedicated to pet adoption. These groups take abandoned, abused, or stray pets and attempt to find suitable homes for them.

Why is animal rescue important? ›

You help break the cycle of pet overpopulation.

There are not enough homes for all the animals that are born every year. Adopting from a shelter helps weaken the pet overpopulation cycle. Each year 8 to 12 million dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are euthanized because there are simply not enough homes for them.

Why do you want to work at the animal shelter? ›

Answer: I've always been passionate about animal welfare, and I believe volunteering at your shelter is an excellent way to contribute to the well-being of animals in need. I appreciate the meaningful work your organization does, and I want to be a part of that positive impact.

What is the summary of the story animals? ›

The poem Animals is from his work 'Song of Myself' in the Leaves of grass. In this poem, the poet Walt Whitman admires animals for being better than human beings. The poet wishes to live with animals and to experience a life where no one complains, and where everyone is free of sins and sorrows.

What is the point of rescuing animals? ›

Rescuing animals can create an opportunity to reduce acute and chronic stress and prevent diseases. Neurotransmitter, hormone, and cytokine efficacy can all be improved through rescuing animals. Rescuing animals and pet therapy can provide relief to those suffering from specific psychological disorders.

How does animal rescue help the environment? ›

Rescuing animals prevent the extinction of certain species, which is critical for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. A diverse ecosystem is better equipped to survive environmental disasters such as climate change, disease outbreaks, and other natural catastrophes.

Why is animal survival important? ›

Animals keep the environment healthy, provide companionship to many in need and have guided this world through a list of catastrophic events. This only proves how crucial each and every one of their roles are, not just for the survival of the human species, but the entire planet.

How animal rescue efforts affect local communities? ›

The operation of animal shelters has economic implications for communities. Shelters create jobs in animal care, administration, and outreach. Additionally, pet-related services, such as veterinary care and pet supplies, stimulate local economies, contributing to overall economic well-being.

Why you should support your local animal shelter? ›

They can be lifesavers for pets who can't adapt to shelter life, those who need to be nursed back to health and orphaned kittens who need someone to step in for their mom (or whose needs are beyond what busy shelter staff can often provide).

What makes an animal shelter good? ›

We protect the animals' physical health through routine vaccination, parasite control, proper nutrition, spay/neuter and other basic medical care. We create a healthy environment for them—one that is clean and well-maintained, not crowded, kept at a comfortable temperature and with good air quality.

Why do people love working with animals? ›

People who work with animals rarely experience a dull day. This is especially true of pet sitters. They may see any number pets, even several species, over the course of a day. It doesn't get much more exciting for an animal lover.

What is the summary of the book rescue? ›

RESCUE is the story of 12-year-old Meg, who lives in France when it was occupied by the Nazis in World War II. Meg's father has been away from home for two years on a secret mission, so Meg and her mother move to the countryside to live on her grandmother's farm.

What do you mean by animal rescue? ›

What Is an Animal Rescue? Animal rescues are similar to animal shelters in that they protect unhoused animals. However, they're volunteer-run and supported because they don't get government funding. Instead of public buildings with kennels, rescues run out of private homes.

What is caring for animals short summary? ›

In the poem "Caring for Animals" Jon Silkin highlights the importance of animal rights and why we should care for them.It is shown that even the poet often wondered why he should care for even the smallest of animals. He goes on to ask nature-the seas and the skies for an answer but is in vain as he gets no answer.

What is the summary of search and rescue? ›

Search and rescue consists of three separate operations: Sizeup involves assessing the situation and determining a safe action plan. Search involves locating victims and documenting their location. Rescue involves the procedures and methods required to extricate the victims.

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