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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Blog the Change-Adpoting An Abused Animal

Blog the Change
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There is a stigma about adopting abused animals and that they are too damaged to be saved.  They will come with many behavioral problems and issues that will take too much time and money to be helped.  It would just be easier to get a puppy or kitten and raise them the way we would like. 

While these statements may be true, I believe there is often a misconception about all of them.  It is difficult to bear the weight of damage that has been done to an abused animal.  It can be challenging trying to understand behaviors you may not be accustom to, but the rewards far outweigh the challenge.

It takes a special person with patience, understanding and a willingness to give.  It takes time, lots of time to regain trust with creatures who have survived such harsh conditions due to human cruelty, but there is nothing more rewarding than watching that trust open up.  Witnessing the little bits of love that will begin to sprout as they begin to accept their new life and the love that surrounds them.  It is like being part of a miracle.

And for those that think that getting a puppy or kitten will eliminate those behavior problems, think again.  All young pets come with their own set of tribulations from the first day you bring them home.  It doesn't matter that they came from the best breeders, animals are still animals living in a human world.  They have instinctual tendencies that they are going to act on.  Coupled that with genes, their care as newborns and their particular breed, you are going to have some problems.  No more different than you would with an abused animal, the level of intensity and depth is just different.

Living with six dogs and two cats I have experienced many different behavior problems.  Two dogs from our litter came back abused and we are still working out the finer details of their abuse issues and the way the previous owners raised them. What I find amazing about these two is that heir gratitude is unmatched making every step of our journey with them worth it.  I have a dog I got as a puppy that was taken from his mother and siblings during his socializing period.  We discovered these facts along with an aggressive gene towards dogs that we are still working with.  We are seeing progress every day.  These are three testimonials in world where they are many more like them.  Is it challenging? Yes.  Painful?  Yes.  Rewarding?  More than my heart can share.

If you have the time and love, think about adopting an abused animal.  You will not only be saving their life, but your own.

10 comments:

Greyhounds CAN Sit said...

Well said. There are no guarantees that the puppy that has been perfectly raised from birth and has near perfect parents won't have some sort of issues as it develops. Many people can testify to this.

I'm very lucky with Frankie that he doesn't have any issues as while he wasn't abused he was chucked out to fend for himself on the streets as a young teenager. Beryl wasn't abused either but it's so awesome to see her personality emerge with new surprises for me almost daily:) Her trainer said she didn't have any personality when she was in his kennels, well, she's making up for it now, lol. And I love it, even the naughty stuff!

jen said...

What a wonderful cause to support, and a very well written post! You said it all...and very well:)

Kristine said...

Awesome message! I love the last point. I think most rescuers would agree that the dogs often become rescuers themselves.

While I don't think my dog was abused, Shiva was living on the streets for some time before someone brought her to the shelter. It's impossible to say what happened. She had a whole host of "issues" to be worked on, some of them may be permanent. But it's all part of pet ownership. Like other family members, I accept her for who she is, quirks and all.

Marianne Pysh said...

I loved this post, thanks for sharing. We just adopted a rescue, and while he does not show signs of abuse, he was obviously abandoned which is a different kind of abuse in my opinion! Adopting a rescue is a very rewarding challenge!

KimT said...

Bless you, for what you've done with your own pets, and for sharing the importance of considering adopting one of these abused animals! You are so right, it is extremely worthwhile, and "babies" are not necessarily an easier choice!

Thank you for blogging the change!

Kim Thomas From
BtC4Animals.com
CindyLusMuse.blogspot.com
BarkOutLoudWeekly.com

Vicky said...

What a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful message.

FANCY the Red Standard Poodle said...

Hi Y'all,

Yes, no matter our origins, we all come with some sort of baggage, just like you humans. You call it being Human when it's you.

Y'all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog

Peggy Frezon said...

Thank goodness you have a heart for these abused animals. They are so lucky to have people who care.
Peggy from
BtC4Animals
peggyfrezon.com

AJ of PupLove said...

We really don't know what Jack went through before we got him. My feeling is that, if his "owner" was willing to admit to me that she kept him in a crate 24 hours a day for the first six months of his life, what was she NOT telling me?

Jack has come with some challenges, but it's all the more rewarding when he makes progress. With patience, understanding, and love, I don't think any dog is "a write-off". My aunt has a friend who adopted a severely abused dog, a very large-breed, who was deemed aggressive and she was told that the dog would never change. A year later, she had a completely different dog on her hands; he was gentle, playful, kind... my aunt asked her what she had done to change the dog, and her response was "I just loved her more." I will never forget that line, ever.

Kolchak Puggle said...

Wonderful post. It is so rewarding to rescue an abused pup. Our Felix came from an abusive home and it took a really long time to address the growling and fear biting (he was SO protective of me and had just no use for the Daddy), but now - he is the sweetest little boy you could ever hope for. And he's turned into a Daddy's Boy. You really hit on it when you mentioned the gratitude - everyday, I get the feeling that Felix is grateful for his new life. Just this morning I gave him a fresh deer antler and he started to run off with it, unexpectedly dropped it, came back, gave me kisses, then went to chew. *sigh* Life is good with a rescue pup.