I don’t ever want to get used to this. I don’t ever want to turn a blind eye or tell myself this is just “another case.” I don’t want to let my heart go numb to make it easier. Because every time an animal comes through our doors - starved, injured, abandoned - I want to feel it. I want to be shaken. I [...]
Today, I watched another animal arrive with no idea what had just happened to their world. Eyes dull with confusion. Body trembling. A blanket still smelling faintly of the person they loved more than anything on this earth. It happens more than people want to believe - an animal loses their guardian to death, and with it, their entire sense of safety. And while [...]
I hate the word "deadline." I really do. It sounds like something final, a line you cross and then there’s no going back. We hear it all the time. But not from editors or project managers - from people trying to give up their animals. “I have a deadline. I’m moving by the end of the month.” “My landlord gave me a deadline.” “I [...]
Some days it feels like the phone never stops ringing. A dog was found tied to a fence. A cat was discovered wandering a parking lot. Someone’s relative passed away and they don't want to inherit their dog. A family is moving in two weeks and doesn’t want to bring their pets. A couple is having a baby. A landlord changed their mind. A [...]
Let’s get real for a minute. In rescue, we see a lot of things - some beautiful, some heartbreaking, and some that are just… frustratingly misunderstood. One of those things? When a dog or cat gets returned. It happens. Not very often - but it does. And every time, whispers start: “What went wrong?” or “Was there a behavior issue?” or the worst one [...]
If you’ve ever worked in rescue - or loved an animal like family - you know this truth: emergencies don’t wait until you're ready. Today was like so many others. Emails. Phone calls. DMs. All carrying the same heartbreaking theme: “My cat/dog needs help. I can’t afford it. What do I do?” We get these messages daily. A dog needing surgery after swallowing something [...]
This morning started the way too many do - before the sun had even risen, our phones were already ringing. By 7am, we had already answered several calls from people asking to surrender their animals. Not one person called to adopt. And this isn’t unusual. Call after call, it's the same refrain - “I need to give up my dog.” “My new apartment doesn’t [...]
Time. It’s such a simple word. And yet, when it comes to the lives of animals - especially those in transition - it means everything. I think about this a lot. The time it takes for a frightened dog to stop flinching at every sound. The time it takes for a cat to stop hiding under the bed and finally crawl into your lap. [...]
Some days, I wish every animal could know only one path: the path that leads to a good home, to warmth, safety, belly rubs, and someone whispering, “You’re finally home.” But in animal rescue, I’ve come to learn there are really five places a companion animal can end up, and the differences between them can mean everything. Sometimes, thinking about this keeps me [...]
As I sit down to write this, I find myself feeling something close to disbelief. For me, and for so many people I know in rescue, the idea of giving up a beloved companion is almost incomprehensible. Our animals are family. They move with us, just like our children would. If we have a baby, we work harder on boundaries and training. If [...]
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