There is a cat shelter in Birmingham, England, that my family runs. Even though we love what we do, we think some people should understand that having a pet is a long-term idea. They shouldn't be seen as something fun that they can get rid of when they're done.
People bring many reasons for why they can't take care of or look after their pets, mostly dogs, when they go to the animal refuge. A lot of their reasons make sense, but I also know that a lot of them are just ways to get stuff off their chests.
They give many different reasons:
- I can't keep this dog as a pet anymore because I just got separated from my husband.
- My kids have been getting bit by the dog.
- The dog is too tough to handle, and it's breaking my furniture.
- We moved into a flat not long ago. They have a rule that says animals can't live in these houses.
- The neighbors don't like how much the dog barks.
- The dogs don't get along with our other pets.
- The dog is making me sick.
- I'm not well enough to take care of my dog.
It is not our job to question these reasons. What we need to do now is find the dogs another good home. This is easier said than done because we need to be sure that the new owners will be able to take care of them for as long as they live.
Our own dogs are also a big part of our business. We especially like the dogs that no one else wants. Cassie is the name of one of these dogs. It looks like she was abused as a dog and is full of life now. She has a hole in her left ear and appears to have an extreme fear of men.
Cassie needs a lot of love and care. She can be too active at times, which is one reason why three people who tried to find her a new home have now bought her back. Even though she's not mean, she does jump up at people a lot.
As we did with Cassie and will continue to do with her, we showered her with love and taught her the difference between right and wrong. After a long time, she finally gets that jumping isn't okay and that she needs to take a break every so often.
Now that Cassie is becoming a better dog, she feels like she is part of the family for the first time.
Most other dogs can become like this with a little more time and care. Because of this, we want more people to be responsible and give their pets more time to get used to the new rules and their homes.
It can be very rewarding to have pets—almost as rewarding as having a child. A dog, on the other hand, won't usually answer back.
If your animals are giving you trouble, you can always call an animal sanctuary for help and to find out what other people have done. The workers there love animals and will do everything they can to help you.
The shelter should be able to take the pet out of your hands if you can't keep taking care of them.