the fine line- Peace, Love & Real Talk

the fine line

Written by Alicia Williams, Founder of Eunoia Rescue

You learn a lot being in rescue. You learn about vetting, training, behavior traits, different breeds, and so on. However, no one really teaches you about the fine line. There are so many fine lines within rescue – and it can sometimes lead to complete agony for the rescuer. One of the most difficult boundaries for me is “is this dog too aggressive to be adopted out?” Is training worth it? If training is involved, this means the rescue will have to find an adopter that will keep up with the training. If the new adopter fails to keep up with the training, could this dog potentially hurt another animal? Or even worse, could it end up hurting a child? A dog can be completely loving to its caretaker, but vicious to those that aren’t. So what do we do in that case? Do we limit what the dog can do? Are these limitations fair? We try to do the most ethical thing in situations like this, but knowing which choice is the best can be so difficult. Another crossroad is when a dog is sick. In some cases, yes, the answer is easy to see. If they’re suffering and need to cross over, we will definitely ease the way. But what if they have good days and bad days? What if the dog is in pain for the moment, but a procedure could help them overcome their illness? Is it logical to spend thousands of dollars on one dog to survive when so many other healthy dogs could be saved with that money? What if you decide that you want to do everything possible to save a dog’s life and it still passes away…and then you’re still stuck with the bill at the end. What then? Are we foolish for continuing to fight or are we honorable because we gave it our all? Then there is also the battle of finding and approving an adopter for a dog; where things that make one “judgmental” come into play. Half of our job is to make sure we find the best adopter for our dogs. So we have to look at their finances, their work hours, their home, and their mannerisms. Some adopters are low-income, but amazing dog owners. Some people are part of the 1%, but neglectful. What happens when the adopter seems great but returns a dog? Do you give the adopter another chance with a different dog? Do you add them to the “not allowed to adopt” list? What if they’re truly good people and it just wasn’t a match?

"What if you decide that you want to do everything possible to save a dog’s life and it still passes away…and then you’re still stuck with the bill at the end. What then?"

What if you don’t give a person another chance and they decide to. bad mouth the organization to others? Will you explain the situation to others or simply state, “I know what’s best?”

When will a rescuer ever stop second guessing themselves? We won’t. Not until the shelters are shut down. Not until dogs aren’t overpopulated. Not until we stop the breeding. We’re tired - and on top of being tired, we have to live with the decision that we make. We are in a constant battle within ourselves. It’s heartbreak and happiness. It’s bitter, yet sweet. It’s the fine line of rescue.

You can reach Alicia at alicia@lowcountrydog.com