An Excerpt From A Book I Am Writing About Rescuing (Why Do I Rescue?)....

Why do I rescue?  Or a better one that coincides with that question what is in it for me?  I will answer both these simply.  Nothing is in it for me I rescue because it is my passion and it is what I believe God intended me to do in my life.  I don’t get the money from the adoption fees nor do I get the donations that come in.  They go straight to the dogs’ needs and bills.  Why do I rescue, because I love these animals so much that I am willing to set my reputation on the line for something I believe in.  I am willing to spend my paycheck to helping these animals even if it means that I am living on the bare minimum for the next 2 weeks until my next paycheck comes in from my full time position at the hospital, because I love the dogs.  If I have to give you an example of why I rescue and what is in it for me then I would have to use the dog we rescued named Angel.  She came to me via another person who loves animals just as much as I do.  On May 19^th 2014, I got a call from a good friend of mine that she had intercepted a very pregnant dog, that she had named Sweetie Pie at the time, from going into the shelter 2 weeks prior in Farmington NM.  She asked me to go take a look at her to see what I thought and get an idea of what was need proceeding the day she gave birth.  I went and found a very round beagle/pug mix who eyes screamed at me as if to say I don’t get why I am here and why I am not with my family.  I don’t understand these feelings inside me and why I am waddling around so much.  No I don’t speak dog nor do I claim that I do.  I simply can put myself in their paws and see what they might be thinking.  I saw a small dog who looked as if she had swallowed a pretty good sized Chihuahua.  I knew immediately we need to take a trip to the vet.  I also knew immediately that this dog might end up needing a c-section. 

On Saturday May 24^th we made the trip to the vet.  The vet took an x-ray and exposed what we thought was a good thing…there were 8 pups.  We talked to the vet who felt that because there was so many that there was a possible chance she could do the birthing process on her own.  We were thrilled however, my friend decided she couldn’t handle the birthing process and needed me to take her on fully.  I did and that night she started having her pups.  I have to admit I have always loved helping mom and baby situations because they are much easier to take care of.  You take care of mom and she takes care of the babies that is, until they get older and mobile.  However, Angel had other plans for me…she started out normally but in the end our fears were fully realized.  The first pup started to come but got stuck half way out.  With the emergency vet on the phone walking me through the process I started the task of pulling the now dead pup out of her to begin the process to allow the other pups to come.  The little pup I named Faith was beautiful in so many ways but Angel couldn’t understand why she didn’t cry or move around.  She just kept licking her trying to get her to make a sound.  I cried for Faith and her mom, but in that moment (and a suggestion from another friend) knowing that through the entire struggle that mom had and her allowing me to do what I needed to save her, I knew I had to change moms name to Angel.  Well Angel ended up in a c-section 2 hours later… I had called it again.  7 healthy pups that were now wiggling and trying to suckle on mom at 5 am at the vet office were now ready to make the drive back to my house.  After hundreds of dollars and very few hours slept that night I saved Angel and her 7 puppies but Faith had to be buried the next morning.  

In the case of Angel people may ask “why did I decide to take her on when I knew that it would cost me so much”?  I knew that she wouldn’t have survived if I had not helped her.  I trust my friend but I trust myself more.  I know what the distress signals are in a dog and I have done my research.  I know how to tell if she is having trouble and I know who to call in that situation.  I felt I could give her the best chance even if it cost me a pretty penny, an arm, and a leg (and well a few more valuable items).  Angel would have died on the reservation where she came from that is a fact.  She may have been seen as a dog that would cost too much to save at the shelter because of a c-section and her and her pups would have been put down that unfortunately is a fact.   And last but not least my friend, had she kept her that night, might not have made the vital decision to involve the vet at 2 am in the morning fast enough I can’t say this is a fact but I know how vital it is to catch the problem early.  I don’t have the answer to what would have happened had I not stepped in but I made the decision to help because of the beautiful dog that was in front of me at that time that was begging for the help.  As well as the 7 wiggling babies that are now in their forever homes that got the chance to live.  Could I have said no?  Unfortunately I would love to say yes, but in this instance I would have to answer that question as no.  I wouldn’t let an innocent dog die knowing that I could have at least attempted to help when presented with the chance.   Dogs are like people in my mind, they think like us, they love like us, but one thing they do teach us is loyalty to those who care.  Angel taught me loyalty to my passion and even though I will be paying the bills I incurred on her probably for months after, I know I made the right decision.  We all come to the crossroad of decision and when faced with these crossroads that night I could have said that I couldn’t have afforded it but God had a different plan and led me down the path that saved her and her unborn babies. 

 
My next question is why am I always the one who has to stand up for the dog on the streets?  Now before I answer this question I know it isn’t fair for me to talk only about myself in this situation so I am going to broaden this question to include every rescue person that is out there.  So why do we as dog rescuers have to stand up for the dogs on the street or the dogs in the shelter that are on death row?  Well answered simply it is because we care or it is our passion (as in my case).  However, a more in depth answer would include the problems in the number of homeless animals that are out there that need our help.  Back to the simple answer… as rescuers I believe that it is very hard for us to pass that dog on the side of the road especially if we have the time or means to help.  I know that if I personally see an animal on the side of the road I am going to stop even if it makes me late.  For example: a dog named Aspen… Aspen was a young pit bull mix I found on my way going to Shiprock NM.  She was on a stretch of highway that was uninhabited and was darting in and out of traffic.  After nearly getting hit 4 times once nearly by me, I decided to stop and entice her to the side of the road.  With leash in hand I started the process of catching her not an easy task if you are trying to catch a scared dog.   No I did not have a catch pole like the animal control officers have, I had to feed her canned food until she trusted me enough to let me slip a leash over her head.  Well, I caught her, loaded her up into my car, and started the 30 min drive home after a good hour and a half trying to catch the scared little girl.  When I got her home my foster and I noticed what we thought were cacti quills, which we later found out were juvenile porcupine quills, in her and started pulling out the 30 or more that were embedded in her skin.  She just sat there with no care in the world letting us tug on these quills until they were out licking our hands or whatever else got into her way.  What would have happened to her had I not helped?  She could have died of the infection that would have surely set in due to the embedded quills.  Aspen is now in her forever family living a life full of love not on the streets any longer.  So why is it that we, the rescuers or the Animal Control Officers, have to be the only ones to help?  Why can't everyone else who loves animals help?  I don't have answers to these questions unfortunately.  The only way I can answer is this... If you see a dog running down the road and you have the time please stop it is very rewarding to help that stray or that lost dog find its family or forever home.  Everyone can be a rescuer it doesn't take a special person to help an animal if you can find time and a place in your heart to stop for at least one.

To sum up what rescue means to me I would like to say this… rescue can be the most rewarding and exhilarating job that you do.  You will help a lot of animals throughout the time you do it and that is the fulfilling part.  However, at the same time it can be a debilitating job and may make you question what is right in this world.  You see animals in situations that you would have never thought you would have to see.  You see the level of cruelty that people can reach and it will make you feel helpless all the time.  You learn to lift the blinders set by society and see beyond what everyone else lives by and thinks is normal.  You see what people are capable of and you take time to see that wondering dog on the street and think how you can help that lonely dog in the shelter.  You have those people along your journey that don’t support you in what you’re doing.  Who oppose all the good that you’re doing.  So many would ask why do rescue?  Why witness all the cruelty and take on such a task when you might fail?  What I can tell you is that the ones you do save makes it worth while and the ones who get new forever homes for will make you keep fighting that much harder for the million others out there that need your help.  Every time you want to quit you think there is another dog out there that needs my help.  The images of these abused and neglected dogs are forever burned into memory but that is what gives you the strength to fight that much harder for the next one.  Anyone who says rescue is easy doesn’t do it on a regular basis and doesn’t see just how hard and upsetting it can be.  I personally have seen stuff that I could never imagine I would ever have to see.  However, you learn very quickly to set those walls up in your heart to allow yourself to stay strong and yet that is why I do what I do.  I know that I can be a formidable force against abuse and neglect.  I know that if I speak up just loud enough  I can change the world and the life for an animal in need.  I am a nobody when it comes to the world of people but in the animal community I hope that I can become a somebody.  I believe no animal should ever have to be hungry and or be tied to a rope the rest of its life.  I believe no animal should be abused or asked to take part in a dog fight because it brings joy to the sick person that is asking it to fight or doing the abusing.  I believe no animal should be asked to breed for the rest of its life because the owner wants money and is greedy.  God has a special place in Hell for those who abuse and neglect animals and they will get what they deserve if they didn't get punished on Earth, but I hope that by me speaking up for what I believe in maybe just maybe I can help some of these animals live better lives.