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Another's Treasure
July 2012
Those looking
for a new pet needn’t look further than an animal shelter to find the perfect
companion, writes Susannah Waters.
“You
can’t get a rescue dog - you don’t know what they’ve got”, Brisbane teacher
Danielle Milne was warned numerous times.
Upon
deciding to get a canine companion, Milne researched her options thoroughly. But
she found herself having to contend with stern warnings from people who insisted
getting a pet from a shelter was a gamble.
“Initially,
I was definitely steered away from rescue animals”, reveals Milne.
However,
she became increasingly drawn to the idea of finding her new pet at a shelter. “Something
resonated within my soul that I must get a rescue dog”, she says.
Since
adopting a young dog she fell in love with at a rural animal shelter, Milne hasn’t
looked back. Five years on, her Pomeranian cross Honey is a pivotal part of her
life.
Victims
of circumstance
Some people fear that animals in shelters are
second-rate, inferior behaviourally and health-wise, and even constitute
“damaged goods”.
Tim Vasudeva, CEO of the Animal Welfare
League NSW (AWL), challenges this view.
“There
can be a perception among people that there is something wrong with them.
Invariably, that’s not the case”, Vasudeva says. “The vast majority are just
happy animals. They just didn’t have the right home the first time around,
through no fault of their own”.
Animal shelters across Australia take in hundreds
of thousands of surrendered and abandoned pets each year. Many arrive in
shelters due to a change in their owner’s circumstances, including rental housing
issues, the loss of a job, relationship breakdowns, or even death of the owner.
Vasudeva also says that some people buy a puppy without first considering the
work required to keep them happy and healthy.
There
are several benefits to adopting a pet from an animal shelter.
“You
take a lot of the guesswork out of it”, Vasudeva explains. “With a mature animal
six months of age plus, you’re dealing with a known temperament and
personality, with established likes and dislikes”.
Dr
Christine Cole, Shelter Veterinarian and CEO of the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home
(SDCH), agrees.
“It
is an advantage because you know what you are getting behaviourally”. She adds
that purchasing a purebred animal from a pet shop does not necessarily
guarantee a healthy pet.
“If
you adopt from a reputable shelter, the animals will have been health checked
by a vet and temperament assessed”, Dr Cole says. “This is not the case from a
pet shop”.
She
points out that many purebred dogs available from pet shops come via “puppy
farms”.
These
are intensive breeding facilities where dogs are housed in overcrowded
conditions, with little regard for their psychological and social wellbeing. They
also often lack adequate veterinary care. Unsurprisingly, puppy farms have recently
come under intense scrutiny.
A honey to love
Milne
speaks of Honey’s protective behaviour towards her infant son Henry with pride.
She also loves that Honey is unique: one part Pomeranian, one part “her little
secret”, she stands out in a crowd.
Sydneysider
Adrian Hayward also has a “honey” of his own. He found his tortoiseshell
domestic shorthair Honey Bunny at the Cat Protection Society NSW eight years
ago.
Honey
Bunny has become a close companion for Hayward. He refers to the 11-year-old
feline as his “little mate”, and reveals a host of other affectionate nicknames
he has bestowed on her.
The
motivation to adopt from an animal shelter stemmed from Hayward’s wish to give
a cat “another chance”.
“The
thought of all those animals without a home is sad”, he says. “I don’t like the
idea that animals get destroyed as they can’t find a new home, because for some
reason the original owner can no longer have them”.
Hayward
was pleased that Honey Bunny was well-mannered and house-trained.
Jemmah Latham can also attest to the quality
of animals from shelters. The veterinary receptionist has been a regular foster
carer of kittens from the AWL and SDCH for two years.
“I love watching them grow and develop, and
then go on to become beautiful pets”, says Latham, whose dog Zac also loves fussing
over the kittens. “All the kittens I’ve fostered have been happy, healthy pets
and very well adjusted in their new homes”.
Latham’s first dog came from a shelter, and
she has vowed that all future pets will too. “In my experience, you can’t get a
better pet than a rescued pet”, Latham declares.
Compatible
companions
For those concerned that finding a pet to
suit their lifestyle may be a challenge, Vasudeva lays fears to rest.
“We
match pets up well. We are able to find a pet to fit in with people’s
circumstances”, he claims. “If you’re looking for a dog that’s good with young
children, we can introduce you to those dogs”.
Searching
for a pet need not be exhausting, as people can simply go online and see for
themselves the range of animals awaiting re-homing. AWL, SDCH and PetRescue all
have good websites with profiles for animals currently available for adoption.
For
Milne, there is no doubt that Honey was a match made in heaven. “I think she
knows that I rescued her. She walks the Earth with a sense of appreciation; a
silent thank you for having given her a second chance”.
