P.O. Box 80663

Lincoln, NE  68501

402 476 - 4414

info@animalrescuesoc.org

Our Ignorance - but the animal's pay for it

There is nothing "humane" about taking the life of a perfectly healthy animal - for any reason.  Convenient, maybe, but not humane.

These unfortunate animals, many brought in by the public, end up as pet food or fertilizer. At one time they were loving, faithful companions who put all their faith and trust in the one person they thought they could count on to protect them.

Animal Rescue society has been rescuing and providing temporary sanctuary to animals for nearly forty years. Since we never euthanize an animal unless it is terminally ill and suffering, we must limit ourselves to those in the most dire of circumstances. The animals we accept are the  sick, hungry, abandoned or injured. We must reserve our space for the neediest of the needy. The healthy animals have alternatives and that is what we try to make the public understand.

With limited space we cannot accept companion animals from the public for trivial reasons. Some of the reasons we hear most frequently are:

• "We're moving and don't want to take our pet,"
  

• "We have a litter box problem and I don't want to hassle with it."
  

• "I'm pregnant now and my doctor told me I shouldn't be around cats because they carry  "toxoplasmosis."
  

• "My cat/dog has behavior problems and I don't want to hassle with it."
  

• "We have a new baby and just don't have time for a pet."
  

• "I have a new roommate and they don't like (cats/ dogs)."
  

• "I just got married and my new (husband/ wife) doesn't like or is allergic to animals."
  

• My dog goes bizerk everytime I leave. I can't tolerate that!"
  

These are actually some of the most common statements we hear from people wanting to get rid of their companions.

Sadly, it is usually a result of the owner's own ignorance that the animal has become the way they are and now the anmal must pay the ultimate price - giving up their one and only life. We must ask ourselves, "is this right?" "Is this fair?" Do we have the moral right to play god with an animal's one and only life they will ever have when the problem lies with ourselves?" Visit our "Lifestyle" page and find out what you might be doing wrong.

Since we cannot take everyone's problem off their hands like the various "humane societies" are willing to do, we instead  take the opportunity to educate on the many alternatives available to them, thereby keeping the animals out of the pound but assisting the person in re-homing their companion. Remember, the "humane societies" are there to "dispose" of most of the animals they get.  Let's pretend we're going to place your companion up for adoption, when in reality all we're going to do is shuffle it to the "back room" where it will be out of sight and out of mind until we euthanize it. In all fairness, a minescule number of animals luckily end up in the adoption room. But common sense dictates that if there are fewer than twenty cages in the adoption room and those fortunate animals are never euthanized, then how many of the hundreds coming through the doors each week can actually end up there? You do the math. And please examine the statistics from one local shelter and maybe there will be a better understanding of exactly what is going to happen to that animal you are turning over to your local pound.