Around the world, more and more animals find themselves in unfortunate situations.
Whether they experience injuries from a natural disaster or outright animal abuse, they require help.
What’s the difference between the animal shelter and animal rescue?
Animal shelters are a worldwide phenomenon that saves poor animals from danger.
They are either government projects or local endeavors. It’s not just limited to animals that can be a pet.
Crocodiles, monkeys, turtles, and even lizards are just some animals rescued on record.
The victims are animals that have been caught in an accident or need immediate help.
If a person has abandoned an exotic pet or is left alone due to their owners dying, they can be taken to shelters.
Most animal shelters have facilities, and In the case that they don’t have one, foster homes are utilized.
It is easier to make adoption in animal shelters. The processing time is usually shorter, and the requirements are fewer.
This does not appeal to all animal sanctuaries, so please contact your local animal shelter for more information.
Due to their capability of taking in almost any type of animal, shelters can experience minor problems.
They are almost always reaching their maximum capacity, to the point where some animals are needed to be euthanized.
Of course, none of the staff or volunteers want to do this either. No-kill policies are put into place in most animal shelters.
Only in the worst-case scenario would they even consider euthanizing some animal residents.
On the other hand, animal rescues are private organizations or private programs that focus on taking in pets of the more normal variety.
Dogs, cats, birds or rabbits, etc., can be taken in animal rescues. Most animals brought to animal rescue facilities have experienced abuse, abandonment, or homelessness.
These facilities help in the care and adoption of rescued animals.
Generally speaking, most rescues only take in one or two types of animals. They are more organized and focused on the adoption of rescued animals.
There are breed-specific and all-breed rescue facilities among the dog breed rescue facilities.
As the name says, these facilities only take in purebred dogs of a particular breed. Examples of such species are Akitas, Daschund, Dalmatians, Golden Retrievers, etc.
All-breed facilities take on breeds of all types. These facilities are usually involved in the rescue and care of street dogs with mixed lineage.
It is usually a good thing if a facility is an age or breed-specific. This is because caretakers and volunteers who are focused on a single breed or type are more passionate about what their care,
Animal rescues are purely funded by donations and the goodwill of animal lovers. They don’t usually get help or support from any government.
Now that we’ve explained the difference between animal shelters and animal rescues, here are the ten reasons why we love them:
1. Animals in these facilities can receive the best medical care.
When an animal is rescued, you usually don’t see them in the best state, especially when abused or kept for illegal purposes.
Because they typically put-up animals for adoption, animal rescues or facilities must bring them back to health.
Remember that the primary goal of these organizations is animal welfare.
They clean the animals, and with support from donations and willing veterinarians, they get to work.
If the situation is urgent, these animals will even undergo surgery to save their lives.
Some animal shelters offer free deworming and spaying services when they put up animals for adoption.
2. It is a sanctuary for animal mental health.
In animal rescue facilities, animals are usually housed in relaxing environments to retain their social ability and be active.
It is also made to get used to human interaction more frequently.
Committed animal shelter and rescue staff dedicate lots of time and resources to keeping the mental state of rescued animals healthy.
Mental health is an important factor in the care of animals as it can affect their entire physiological state.
Checkups are performed when an animal refuses to eat or looks particularly ill.
3. Gets in action during a natural disaster
When there’s a natural disaster, firemen, policemen, and hospitals aren’t the only ones on the move.
Animal rescues and shelters also participate in the rescue of animals in distress in these situations.
Many pets find themselves in dangerous situations or get lost during tornadoes, storms, floods, and earthquakes.
Once the animals are rescued, they get to work fin returning the saved animals to their rightful owners.
If the animal doesn’t have an owner, they are tended to and taken in the facility.
4. It helps in the development of lifelong friendships.
They are the perfect place to find your next best friend. Many pets have found a loving home and family thanks to animal rescue and shelters.
Due to low-cost adoption facilities, many lifelong human-animal relationships have been established.
Also, for each animal adopted from animal shelters and rescues, one less animal is adopted from illegal mills or mass breeders that often mistreat dogs and cats.
5. It’s educational
It’s easier to spread awareness to the public with animal rescue and shelters.
Educational tours for both kids and adults can be held to learn more about animals in distress and how to protect them.
They also participate in the internet. Promotional videos, ads, educational segments, and shows about animal protection rights are disseminated to the public via social media.
People who want to volunteer in these facilities have the opportunity to learn more about taking care of pets and different kinds of them.
6. Easy Adoption Process
Most animal rescue and shelter facilities nowadays have an easy adoption process.
They come with minimum requirements depending on the particular animal’s care and breed.
To ensure that the animal’s family is fully capable, some rescue and shelters even do home visits. These home visits ensure that the adopted animals are in good hands.
7. Volunteer programs help animal lovers do what they love.
Remember when it was stated that most rescues don’t get support from the government?
With animal shelters and rescues, animal lovers have a chance to support animal protection rights by donating or volunteering for work.
Contact the local shelter to check if they are accepting volunteer applications at the moment.
There are also international rescue groups that hire and get volunteers through online applications.
People who are passionate about animals are an asset in shelters and rescues.
They are the ones who are sympathetic with animals the most and can deliver genuine care.
8. Celebrating Animal Lives Together
Animal shelters often sponsor outdoor activities for owners and their pets.
These projects cover and are not restricted to pet fun runs, pet parades, play dates, and dog and cat contests in parks.
The overall atmosphere and outlook of people living in the city towards animals become more positive.
At the same time, people who participate and watch these events become aware of the importance of taking care of your pets.
Animal owners and their pets can spend some quality bonding and draw relationships even closer.
9. The Existence of Wildlife Rescue Groups
As the name implies, wildlife rescue groups facilitate animals’ rescue found in the wild.
It can be because of forest fires or other disasters, but even wild animals need help.
Unlike standard rescue groups, Wildlife rescue groups don’t aim to put animals in adoption or keep them.
Instead, they nurse these sick or rescued animals to health and return them to the environment where they belong.
They are even more equipped as wild animals are often found in riskier situations like being trapped in ice or too heavy to be lifted by normal equipment and vehicles.
10. Helps in Stopping Worldwide Animal Abuse
Because of animal shelters and rescue facilities, owners can stop resorting to puppy mills or abusive mass dog breeders.
This can also apply to all kinds of animal types. Animal shelters help shut down these horrifying activities while promoting animal lives’ importance.
With legal adoption centers that support proper animal care, fewer and fewer animals will ever experience the pain and scars of abuse.
During the past years, animal rescues’ scope has expanded in terms of vision and implementation.
Believe it or not, animal rescue facilities for farm animals such as cows and goats even exist.
One example is the Farm Sanctuary based in the United States. Animal rescue isn’t just for land animals.
Some animal rescues focus on the welfare of marine wildlife and aquatic animals. There are even mass animal farms that violate animal rights.
Animal shelters and rescues are an essential part of society today.
If these kinds of facilities never existed, many strays, abandoned, and abused animals will never again find another home.
Their existence also helps in humanities’ further development of empathy towards other creatures.
