Author: 
Gloria Lissner
Category: 

Time: The One Thing They Desperately Need, and Rarely Get

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. The time it takes for trust to bloom, for old fears to fade, for a new chapter to begin.

But in rescue, time is rarely a luxury we see people offering.

I can’t count how many calls I’ve answered where the person says, “I just adopted this dog two days ago, and he growled at me. I want to return him.” Or, “We’ve had the cat for a week and she still won’t come out. It’s not working.” 

So many of the animals who end up in our care were never truly given a chance. Not really. People want instant love stories – the ones where the animal walks in the door and everything is perfect from day one. But animals are not robots. They’re not blank slates. They come with histories, personalities, fears, quirks…and hearts that take time to heal.

Adjustment doesn’t happen overnight. Decompression is a real, necessary process. For many animals, being rehomed – no matter how well-intentioned – is a traumatic experience. They’ve lost their person, their space, their routine. They’re grieving. Confused. And yet, we expect them to understand instantly that this new place, these new hands, this new life is safe.

Would we expect that of a child dropped into a stranger’s home? Would we expect someone in grief to instantly be happy just because their surroundings changed?

And then there are those who want to give up their animals now – this minute. No notice, no effort, no transition plan. We hear it all the time: “If you can’t take her today, I’ll take her to be euthanized.” It’s said coldly, but you can hear the fear or frustration behind it. Still, it’s not fair. Not to the animal. Not to the rescue. Not to the people trying desperately to find them a soft landing.

Why have we become so rushed with those who need us most? Why have we forgotten that animals are emotional beings, not disposable ones?

The truth is: animals feel time differently. For them, a week in a new place is an eternity of unfamiliar smells and sounds. A month might just be the beginning of feeling safe. Six months might be when they finally exhale, when the belly is shown and the eyes soften. That’s when you start to see the real them – the one who was always waiting to be loved, once they felt sure they were staying.

So, if you’re reading this and you’re struggling with a new animal, please…give it time. Be patient. Be gentle. Ask for help if you need it. But don’t give up too soon.

And if you’re trying to rehome an animal, don’t drop them off like they’re a box at the curb. Their life matters. They deserve more than panic and ultimatums. They deserve a plan, a safe place, a little dignity.

At our rescue, we see the damage caused when time isn’t given. But we also see the beauty that unfolds when it is. The shy ones who become shadows to their person. The reactive dogs who become cuddle bugs. The cats who finally purr after months of silence.

Time is the bridge between fear and love. Let’s stop tearing that bridge down before anyone’s had a chance to cross it.