A �ance to
Blossom
When what you see is not what you get. / Angie Benz
(or cat) transform is one of the most rewarding Isn’t � true that in certain situations we all experiences I've had while volunteering. need the opportunity to become comfortable enough, feel safe enough, and feel loved enough Quick transformations are particularly fascinating. to be who we truly are inside—especially if we’ve Let's talk about "Rufus." Rufus could be any dog, been hurt in the past? The same is true for at any shelter, anywhere. Rufus hates his kennel, animals. If you’ve ever gotten close to a dog or and unfortunately, that’s where he has to spend cat (or cow or pig or parakeet for that matter), the majority of his day while he waits for a family you know ... they are not emotionless robots, to come along and take him home. He barks and although we often expect them to be. They protect jumps, maybe he spins in frantic circles. He may themselves in a myriad of ways when scared, even lunge as people walk by. Rufus is frustrated physcially hurting, or heart hurting, and this masks and most people can't see past that behavior their true personality—often to their detriment. By to the dog we know is underneath—the dog he giving a dog an opportunity time to relax or freeing blossoms into the moment he exits the kennel. them from a stressful situation, you can see a whole new wonderful personality unfold. The and most people can’t see past key is giving them a chance. Many people miss out by that behavior to the dog we know is underneath— not doing so!
Rufus is frustrated
the dog he blossoms into the dog we know the moment he exits the kennel.
When I volunteer at Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS), I see beautiful dogs blossom and transform every time I'm there. The transformation can be sudden or slow; it can happen immediately or one step at a time, built on patience and trust. But watching a dog 32 | Transformation
We had a “Rufus,” not long ago, that reminded me, yet again, to not judge a dog by his kennel behavior. I’m not even going to lie, when I walked up to his kennel, I had to stop and give myself
