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Want to find a new furry family member but are on the fence about whether to adopt from an animal shelter or an animal rescue? We understand how you feel and would want to help out. Just read on below to find out the difference and of course, similarities, of animal rescues and animal shelters.
First of all, we are aware that people may have different notions as to what animal shelters and rescues are. Depending on where exactly you are from, an animal shelter may be the same facility as your local pound or can be an entirely different place. In some areas, an animal rescue also acts as an animal shelter, so what is their real difference and where would it be better to adopt from?
As previously stated, an animal shelter can be your local pound and be government-owned but not all shelters are funded by tax-payer money. Generally speaking, an animal shelter is a place where animals are surrendered or brought in when their previous owners either cannot take care of them anymore or if they are found on the streets.
Shelters generally take in all sorts of animals (not just pets depending on local restrictions) and are almost always full. Because a big number of animal shelters take in all sorts of animals, they can have a problem keeping all of them and this often ends with the shelter having to euthanize animals rather than set them loose to fend on their own. Of course people who run or work in shelters do not want this to happen and some have no-kill policies in place but sometimes, letting the animal be put to sleep is the best option for the homeless animal and the community. This is the reason why shelter animals are typically seen as having their days numbered because in many instances, that can really be true.
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Animal shelters can be privately owned by a group of volunteers or can be manned by government employed staff. Because of the nature of what shelter is (some of them do not turn down surrendered animals), the place can be very stressful and crowded both for the animals and the staff or volunteers. For this reason, even the best shelters may not always have the best environment to meet a future pet. It is why it is important to try to have some alone time with a future pet before committing to adopt. Some shelters have family meet-up areas where you and your family plus existing pets can meet-up future pet candidates but not all shelters have this service or have the luxury of space and time to do so.
An animal rescue is usually a private organization or a private endeavor which takes in certain animals (mostly pet animals or companion animal only) from abusive homes or homeless situations. What an animal rescue does is to provide the animal a temporary home through a network of animal foster parents who agree to host the animal until it is adopted. This is can be for the duration of rehabilitation if the animal has health or behavior problems, or for the duration of treatment if the animal is ill or in need of veterinary help.
An animal rescue can also be focused on one or two types of animals only. Some are breed and age specific which is a good thing because this means that the people who are fostering the animals really have a passion for the specific breed or age of animal the rescue is focused on.
Generally speaking, animal rescues run on pure donation and goodwill of animal lovers. It is very rare for an animal rescue to receive any help or funding from the government.
Animal rescues are typically manned by volunteers. If they do have a facility, it is often much smaller than that of a shelter because rescues often have temporary foster homes for the animals they take in. In some cases, the foster families or individuals ends up adopting the pet because it is unavoidable to develop a strong bond with an animal who have lived with you for a few weeks or even a few months.
One of the reasons why rescues can be stricter when matching an animal to a future pet parent is because they know the animalās behaviors, needs, wants, and yes, personality. They would really want to ensure that whoever is approved to adopt the animal will be its fur-ever pet parent.
The above is not to say that all rescues are like that but as HomeFurEverās representative said, āEvery rescue is different. We all have different systems of operation, adoption processes, and requirements. Approval through one rescue does not guarantee that you will be approved through another rescue. Similarly, every dog is different. What we require for one dog may be completely different than what we require for another- ie. fenced in yard, other animals in the home, ages of family members, etc.ā
Oftentimes people tend to adopt from an animal rescue or an animal shelter out of simply liking one over the other or because oneās process is easier. What pet parents have to know is while it is important to do a bit of background checking on the animal shelter or animal rescue they have in mind, what is more important is to get to know the process of adoption each facility or organization follows.
There is no real answer regarding which is better to adopt from. It all boils down to who are the people running the shelter or rescue and how much they care for the animals.
Some animal shelters have partnerships with local rescue groups to ensure that animals who may not have a chance of surviving in the shelter or have special needs will still have a chance to be adopted.
Adopting can be easy-peasy or can be very painstaking. From what weāve gathered from interviews and online research, a future animal parent can simply give up because going through the process can be a real test in determination but it will all be worth it in the end; after all, you are adopting another family member.
When shelters or rescues have stringent adoption processes, it is best to take time to get to know them. If they are investing a lot of time and effort in finding the best homes for the animals in their care, that should be taken as a good sign and not as a hindrance to you having your very own fur baby.
Every organization and facility is different. Usually, shelters are not as strict as rescues in processing adoptions but there can always be exceptions. As Jen Daley of Pet Dog Adoptions says, āWhichever organization you choose, it is important to respect the processā ā we could not agree more!
Are you getting excited about adding a pet or companion animal to your family? Check out our full pet adoption series ā The Ultimate Guide to Pet Adoption.
Like you, we are passionate about animals and would like you to have the same joy we have as an animal parent. Join us on Facebook to get updates on our future articles and be notified whenever we post more pet and animal friendly tips!
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HOMEOPATH & CO-FOUNDER OF ZUMALKA
Suzie Cyrenne co-founded Zumalka over five years ago, and has worked in naturopathic pet medicine for more than six. Day-to-day, she works as the lead manager for the Zumalka staff and specializes in training the team to have thorough knowledge of pet health and the companyās extensive line of naturopathic remedies.
Suzie has gained a lot of experience from years spent in the pet health field and she earned her degree in Homeopathy at the School of Classical Homeopathy in Quebec, Canada, (a partner of the European Academy of Natural Medicine (AEMN) in France).
August 09, 2021
My name is Bambi Iām 53 years old I have always been a cat lover and an overall animal lover I get very attached to them and vice versa I have three kittens and a beautiful calendar cat that I need to find homes for due to my need for a heart surgery and no one to care for them. The kittens are about 3 months old and soooo lovable. Iāve interacted with them every day and they actually sleep with me so I need someone whoās used to Interacting with them like Family members one of the kittens absolutely will not let you ignore him To the point where he positions himself between me and my phone itās hilarious. They were born in my house and Iām on a very fixed income there were five I managed to get homes for two and I was trying to find homes for the other three somehow ended up keeping them they havenāt had any shots but other than that theyāve been very well taken care of their indoor outdoor so they like to run outside and they wonāt run away could someone please help me give my babies a loving home and all the affection in the world that they deserve so much?
January 11, 2021
My amazing wee Shih Tzu was killed by a van this morning!! His name was Bear and he loved and was loved SO much. In time Iād love to help a wee rescue dog and adopt him. Will keep in touch. Thank you. š»š¼XX
January 04, 2021
Adopted 2 dogs from a rescuer 4 years ago. Lost one in a hit and run. Max my fur baby left clings to me and gets very little exercise since Iām recovering from heart surgery. He is an inside dog 5 years old. Looking for a similar breed not only for me but for Max. Max is a Shitzue. Sorry about spelling. The fur baby would have a good home but I donāt know where to find a dog that needs a home and is similar to Max. Max has gained w
December 07, 2020
After losing my dog in the Spring I decided Iām ready to love another fur baby. I wanted to adopt a breed specific (same as last dog) senior dog because I had just loved one through the aging process & also know older dogs are difficult to place. I was so amazed that an active, newly retired person w/no other animals, no children, live alone with only time & attention to give was met with so much red tape & an attitude of āhang out indefinitely & weāll let you know if you can adopt this healthy senior dogā. It certainly felt as if the organization had no motivation to find this dog a loving home. I respect wanting to be careful about placing animals in a safe, appropriate place but this attitude bordered on offensive. I am a retired professional, experienced with my last rescue from an abusive environment who became my constant companion. There would have been no better home for this precious dog. I walked away feeling as if my attempt to save a dog & provide his best life was something sinister and a plan for which I would be scrutinized more than adopting a newborn baby. Organizations should be thorough in vetting prospective adopters but geez, they could have a tone & attitude of working TOGETHER with prospective adopters rather than an attitude of āweāre going to make you jump through countless hoops-just because we canā. It is not in the best interest of the precious dogs who would benefit from a loving home & the opportunity to develop a strong bond with their human and feel safe & secure. It broke my heart to walk away but the rescue group made the process so difficult it felt like it would be open ended with no idea how long would be the wait for a dog advertised as healthy & ready for a forever home. Now I believe the only way is to find a puppy from a breeder. Such a shame, rescue organizations should pause to reflect on exactly why they are there in the first place. It should be priority 1 to find safe homes rather than the chaotic environment which stresses dogs unnecessarily.
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September 24, 2019
After trying for a very long time to adopt through various rescue groups, private shelters and through our own city and being stymied at every turn, we went to Craigslist. There, we found a plea from a lady who might have been a rescuer, or simply a local resident of the town. The small, overcrowded rural shelter was swamped with kittens and puppies and adult cats and dogs. This shelter takes in way more animals than are ever adopted, and so many end up euthanized simply because rescues and foster families and adopters are so few and far between⦠plus, so many folks either donāt spay or neuter their pets and also let them run loose. The staff, while well meaning, is overwhelmed and they just donāt have time to really LOVE on the pets and socialize them. Amenities are few, too. So, we paid a visit just to see what was up. We came home that day with a lovely and sweet (but understandably scared and shy) 10 week old kitten who has been coming out of her shell quite nicely since she came home with us a few days ago. Sheās healthy, had first shots, and she will be spayed and microchipped within the month, once she gets just a little bigger. There were so many nice pets available there, it was heartbreaking. Many of them wonāt have a chance to get a loving home due to space and a lack of foster families and rescue groups in that area. If we could take them all, we would. But, we were at least able to save one precious baby, and itās a blessing. For now, Iām spreading the word, hoping to find loving homes and fosters for more of these beautiful animals.
June 07, 2019
this was very helpful since im opening my oun rescue
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HOMEOANIMAL
August 09, 2021
Dear Bambi,
Thank you so much for your comment and for sharing your story with us. I am so sorry to hear that you need to find other homes for what sound like amazing little kitties! Iām sure this is very difficult for you. I hope you are able to find kind and loving homes for them. We also have contacts of a few shelters and rescues that may be able to help out if you need: https://www.homeoanimal.com/pages/our-friends
I hope this helps!!
Regards,
Homeoanimal