Wednesday 11 October 2017

Never Give Up



If you’ve been browsing our website or Facebook page, you would have seen that Moving Paws Inc is a dog rescue organisation, specialising in small breeds.

And you might be wondering – what makes a rescue a ‘rescue’?

You may picture us bravely wading into flood waters or across busy roads to scoop up frightened pets. But that’s not really what we mean by ‘rescue’. Thankfully, we don’t have to resort to these dramatic measures very often!

The reality is a little less exciting, but every bit as rewarding.

We rescue dogs that are at risk of being abandoned or put to sleep. As we’ve posted before, there are many situations that can lead to dogs being surrendered. In an ideal world we would love to see pets live out their entire lives with one happy family - but the reality is that many dogs and cats will suddenly find themselves without a home. Moving Paws Inc was created to help deal with this problem, and we deal with it the best we can (despite the financial and emotional cost).

Animal rescue involves taking in surrendered pets, having any necessary veterinary care attended to, and assessing their personality and individual needs. We work hard to get our dogs to optimum health. They are then placed in foster care, followed by a suitable forever home.

We do our best to ensure that the dogs we take in can be successfully rehomed. We are responsible for the
Dino in his furever home 
animals that we rescue, and we take this responsibility very seriously. We put a lot of work in to identifying any special needs and providing care to ensure the best outcomes.

Tragically, some pets are euthanised because they are seen as unadoptable. This may be because rescue groups don’t have the resources to put into training and socialisation. Some animals may be seen as too ‘challenging’ to successfully adopt out.

I was reminded of this recently when we took in an older male dog. His name is Dino. He had lived his whole life with an elderly gentleman; he had not been desexed, nor received any sort of training or socialisation. This was probably not an issue during his previous life, but now that his owner was in a nursing home and unable to look after him, Dino’s behaviour was creating problems.

Naturally, as soon as he was brought in to Moving paws, Dino was taken to the vet for a medical check. Some of his blood test results were abnormal, so we proceeded to an ultrasound to investigate further.

While Dino was at the vet, we got a call from their office asking if we really wanted to proceed with further tests. He had been difficult to handle and they stated he was ‘probably not suitable for rehoming’.

We don’t give up easily though. While little Dino had been somewhat difficult, it was very early days. He didn’t understand what was happening, and was stressed due to the big upheaval in his life and unfamiliar people and surroundings. This is akin to a young child throwing a tantrum in a stressful environment.

Dino clearly needed some time to adapt. As a responsible rescue group, we spend time allowing the dogs to be gradually socialised with other dogs and people. We also call on experienced professionals to help us resolve any underlying behavioural problems. We don’t force the dogs into situations that they can’t handle.

It breaks my heart to think about all the animals that have missed out on a second chance due to issues that may have been resolved with some more time and care. Resources are scarce in the animal rescue world, and all volunteer organisations rely on their supporters to make the rescues possible.

We sincerely understand that not all dogs are suitable for rehoming, and in some rare circumstances the kindest thing to do is to send them to the rainbow bridge.

Dino’s test results were not good. He has several masses in his liver and bladder along with testicular cancer. After receiving Dino’s results it was determined that he would remain a Moving Paws sanctuary doggy.  However, we are very pleased to report that he is adjusting well to his furever foster family, and is already enjoying his new home and a new lease on life.  He will live out his retirement receiving all the love and care he deserves.

Please consider a donation to Moving Paws Inc if you share our vision that all pets deserve a second chance.

Thank you for reading! Please share our blog, browse our website, and check out Moving Paws Inc on Facebook and Instagram.

Regards, Debbie - Founder - Moving Paws Inc.

This blog post sponsored by Bluehound Content Studio