Post by Trish Manche
Let’s start with the difference between the two entities.
A shelter is typically
- A government or state funded facility in a geographic area where services are offered.
- Animals can be taken as they have space.
- Some shelters are rated as “no kill” which means they do not euthanize for space because of overcrowding. Not all shelters are “no kill” shelters.
- Shelters that are not “no kill” euthanize for space. This could be 100+ pets per day euthanized due to overcrowding.*
- Animals typically cannot be returned to a shelter if there is a problem with the pet.
- Animals that are adopted out typically have not had all vaccines and may not be spayed or neutered and would need to be brought back for this surgery. The cost may be less to adopt, but you may spend more in the long run.
- Owner surrendered pets are the first to be euthanized in a kill shelter. Age, health, breed, etc. are not a consideration in the process.
* This is a heartbreaking statistic, but is far kinder than dropping a pet on the street to “fend for themselves”. Domesticated pets who are cared for with daily meals, etc. have lost or not developed the skills required. Although they were once “wild animals”, they no longer have those survival instincts.
A rescue is typically
- A private organization who may or may not be a 501(c) tax-exempt charitable organization. Funding is by donations, fundraising, and sometimes grants.
- An animal cannot be taken into a rescue unless they have a foster home available for the animal and this may not be immediate.
- All vetting is completed for the age of the animal before adoption can be completed. (including shots, spay or neuter, microchipping).
- An animal can be returned as soon as we have a foster available to take them. It is written into the contract.
It’s always a bit disheartening when we follow up on an application or receive an email from someone who came and met one of our pets, but has adopted elsewhere or from a shelter. While we are happy when a shelter animal is “safe” or another rescue is supported. We would like to share the benefits of adopting from a rescue. Shelter vs. rescue is not an apples to apples comparison.
Every pet that is up for adoption at Take Me Home Pet:
- Lived in an approved foster home.
This means these pets have received daily love and attention as well as some direction regarding acceptable behavior. We know these pets intimately because they are in our home day in and day out often for a couple of months or more. It gives us a bit of insight on what might be the best new home environment for them to thrive and be the best pet they can be!
- Is as healthy as they can be.
We make sure every pet has proper vetting from nose to tail, including: all shots, treatments for any and all parasites (internal and external), and have been spayed or neutered to control pet population. If a pet has been exposed to a deadly virus, such as Parvo or Panleukopenia, our experience allows us to quickly identify what could be wrong and get the right care for the animal. Complete vetting will delay your responsibility and expense of taking them to see the vet immediately, unless of course you want to have them checked out by your personal vet.
- Been in the care of our rescue for a few weeks.
We have observed behavior with other humans and our resident pets. Behavioral issues can be identified and addressed by the foster or pet coordinator, whether it’s medically or by a trainer. While that may not guarantee they will get along with every dog, cat, or person they meet, it certainly increases the odds. Because we have had so much experience with introducing these pets to our resident animals, we can advise you on the best strategies when taking an animal home. We make ourselves available for questions and will provide guidance even after the pet goes home.
- Worked to create trust and socialize the pet.
On occasion, we get a pet (usually a cat/kittens) that are not comfortable being around humans or other animals. Fearful pets require a lot of time and patience to gain their trust and get them socialized so they are ready for adoption into a home. We have resources among our volunteers who are very experienced and can give us guidance. Keeping in mind these go beyond trying to Google a solution and implement it.
- Screen our adopter carefully
A significant investment of time and money has been made in every pet, so we are looking for the best possible forever home. We do a vet check on the resident pets to make sure they are up to date on vaccines. We make sure there are no dog doors for cats or kittens. We do a quick tour of your yard to look for spaces in the fence where an escape could happen and the main area of your home to make sure there are no loose cords, toys they could be injured on, medication within their reach, and it’s safe for a dog or puppy. In addition, we like to prompt adopters to think about what would happen to that pet if they could no longer care for it. It’s always best to have a plan in place.
While the rescue is limited by the number of fosters and the amount of funds available to provide medical care and basic necessities for the pets in our care. All pets must be adoptable. If the pet does not meet that requirement, the animal cannot be taken. The rescue is accountable to our donors to be responsible with the funds that have been entrusted to us and to stretch those dollars as far as possible to help as many pets as possible. A pet with a serious medical condition or a significant socialization issue (feral cats or dogs with a bite history) might fall into this category.
The rescue takes the wellbeing of our pets very seriously. As a rescue, we want an adoption where the pet, foster, and adopter are all satisfied with the outcome and to make it the most successful possible. If there is a way to help the adoption go smoothly or if it’s not working, the rescue wants to be there for you and for that animal. If the adoption needs to be terminated, we like to know we have worked with that adopter to try to resolve the situation, and if necessary take the pet back to start looking for a new home. The worst is when a call comes in that one of our pets has been surrendered at the shelter. The shelters check for microchips and our name is attached to that chip if they cannot locate the owner. If we’ve never heard from the adopter, we always wonder what could have gone wrong?
It is our hope that this clarifies the value you receive when adopting from a rescue vs. a shelter. Neither option is wrong, it just depends on what you expect and potentially what you are willing to work through when you adopt.