Their Last Hope

We take in these cute little animals when they are so small and depend on us to nourish them and love them. We become the leader of their pack. They trust us, just as a child trusts its parents. It has bonded with us and thinks our home is their home. Then for whatever reason, the dog/cat has to be given away.

As volunteers in a private animal shelter about 40% of our phone calls are 1) "I am moving and cannot take my animals (now nine years old) to my new residence because pets are not allowed; I love it so much". 2) A concerned neighbor phones, "the people next door moved and left their pets".

For those of you that decide to abandon your pet don't ease your conscious thinking your animal is going to a wonderful HUGE farm with clover pastures and you visualize your loved pet running in the sunshine. This is not reality.

The reality of any shelter (and there are some good ones and bad ones) is that it is a very high stress environment. Sometimes the new animal is so freightened it may cower in the back of the kennel and its chances of getting adopted are not high. If it becomes fear aggressive, where it is freightened out of its mind, and adopts a "I'll get you before you get me", it will be labeled

aggressive, and would probably be killed in most shelters/animal control facilities.

The animals that have been

owned and surrendered

into a shelter environment breaks our heart. They are freightened, confused, often become depressed, and if in a shelter for a long period of time, become "cage crazy", just like any human does in solitary confinement.

Pleae be an advocate for your animals. When you take in those sweet little things, know that it will be a long commitment, maybe 15 years. Your life will go through many changes in that period of time. Please make a promise, you will not abandon your animal or give it up, especially because you are moving. You simple find a home where you can move with your animals. They are for life.

These comments are not directed to individuals that are in circumstances out of their control (moving into a nursing home, going into the military, etc.).

Castaway Critters Pet Rescue