September 13, 2008Comments are closed.attitude, shelter procedure
Some rescue groups consider themselves the ‘garbage collectors’ cleaning up after a careless community and judging the people who drop their pets off as irresponsible and unwilling to work on a solution.
Nearly always I’d suggest, it’s because the relinquishing owners that come to them are unreachable – they’ve already made up their minds and resent someone righteously telling them they’ve made the wrong decision. As they say, the horse has bolted…
Other rescue groups (the ones more interested in saving the lives of pets, than keeping the public as an enemy to be punished at every opportunity) see there is a chance to reach people way, way, way before they walk in the door looking to surrender.
Those who believe in a non-punitive approach tend to develop and maintain programs and policies that are more proactive, working to head problems off at the pass more than just react to them. They also say they have something more to offer people caught in the housing crisis — real, practical assistance and compassion.
…I spoke with Brown about how her shelter has responded to the foreclosure crisis and economic downturn in the Reno area. She said NHS works with local press and real-estate agents to make sure pet owners facing foreclosure are aware of the resources available to them. They offer a free animal help desk, a pet food bank, and have a list of more than 500 foster homes, as well as a creative adoption program to find new permanent homes for pets who need them.
So how do you become proactive, when you’re operating as a reactive organisation? It’s easy – stop blaming your community and start behaving like a shelter.
