Here is a sharing from one of our readers who would rather remain anonymous. On her own, she donates a sum of money to her neighbourhood vet, to be used, at the vet’s discretion, for genuinely needy cases.
Dear Dr. Chan,
I am compel to share with you some of my own inside scoop of the rescuers after reading your blog and your venting.
Honestly, I do not have the energy and the strength to do what you do; that is why I admire what you do through AnimalCare.org.
Yes, there are many categories of ‘rescuers’.
The following are my encounters with various types of rescuers.
Type 1.- Genuine & Exemplary Rescuer.
When a student of a certain reputable college rescue a stray/street animal they will first take the rescued animal to the vet to do the necessary. Pool their resources and finances to pay the vet, spay, neuter, buy food, cage, carrier etc. When he/she have to go home to hometown, someone will take care of the rescued animal. They even worked out a duty roster. It is easy to detect them as they often come in a group and discreetly will ask for the vet’s rate and then gather to pool their money together. They work independently amongst themselves. Very discreet, very organized.
(This is the main reason why our funding are given directly to our vet, as our vet can easily determine who can afford and who cannot. Our funding also includes special diet pet food, vitamins, supplements, cages, carrier or whatever is for sale at our vet)
Type 2 Genuine Caregivers/Feeders
This category belong to the low income earners i.e. cleaners, security guards housewives etc. There is one cleaner who feeds a colony of at least 20 cats, a taxi driver who take care of at least 20 cats; these are only two examples but there many others. The housewives especially when they rescue a stray/street animal like mother-cat and kittens; they will adopt the whole family and will not break the family apart. They will not put up the rescued animal up for adoption as they cannot guarantee that the adopter is genuine and the poor animal will be thrown out to the streets again. Back to square one. The first thing they do is to take the rescued animal to see our vet. Then they will follow-up with the necessary spay/neuter/vaccinations/or treatments.
(Our vet will distribute from our fund to these rescuers too as where and when is necessary to those needy rescuers)
There is a common similarity between the Type 1 and Type 2. Both cases are responsible and genuine rescuers. They do not ask for financial assistance or seek any publicity or sending out S.O.S. You cannot find these rescuers in any pet forums. But whatever assistance that they receive it is a bonus. Most of them in the beginning had taken their rescued animals to AMC or other vets but find the rates are too steep. You can tell that they have genuine compassion for animals as even as their income is low but their priority is to get the animal help first. Worry about the money later.
Whenever a ‘fresh’ rescuer sometimes approach us or some advise; we advised them since to do rescue work requires lots of money; if they are genuinely want to rescue stray/street animals not for the publicity sake or because it is trendy or cliché as everyone else is doing it.
First thing, one need to do is set up the fund first; enough to rescue one animal first in which the cost will cover medical bills, food and other things that will make the animal comfortable. Have a contingency fund and only rescue when you are ready. Rescuing does not mean just taking an animal off the street but it goes beyond and above that. A rescued animal will be dependent on the rescuer for its well being for life. Otherwise, you are better off doing something else if you expect others individuals or organization to help you with the finances and resources or bail you out every time you rescue a stray/street animal. After all the ‘heart do what the heart’s want.’
Other Types:
Type 3 : Luxury Car Cat Owner
This pet owner drive a very expensive luxury car, The cost of the car of which you can get you a house that cost around RM600,000.00. Brought in a sick cat for treatment and left the cat for extended period of boarding. Bill came to RM700. Immediately demanded a discount. Vet said that already the best rate which covers medications, tests and boarding. Quiet for a while and ask how much to euthanize the cat. Vet said do not do euthanizing and asked if any other vet do; how much it will cost. Obviously much cheaper than the RM700 bill. Stormed out of the clinic and left the cat with the vet, without saying a word and the cat owner was never seen again.
Some pet owners or rescuers put unreasonable demands on vet. Vet are not miracle workers or superhuman. InUK, while we were residing there many good vets suffers from depression and breakdowns. The highest number of suicides is actually among vets; due to the feeling of helplessness being unable to save animals they cared for. During the foot-and-mouth epidemic among cattle; that was the highest number of suicide amongst vets as many were heartbroken due to the huge number of animals being culled. Our own vet got really ill and collapsed right after Luxury Car Cat Owner incident.
Type 4. Miss Know All
A particular rescuer (belong to a high profile rescue group) who is often at the vet; often offers advice especially to new rescuers. While waiting for her turn she will be broadcasting all her achievements of her rescue cases to all present. Then irresponsibly soliciting to new and first time rescuer of kitten on how stupid people is when one want to throw out a kitten why not wait for it to turn 3 months old. The reason according to Miss Know Al is that the kitten at that age will able to navigate itself on the ground to look for food. What food? In concrete jungle of offices? Stones and pebbles? We have many times rescue kittens that have small stones and pebbles in bellies thinking that stones and pebbles is food!
Don’t you wish some people just stop advocating and encourage people to dump their unwanted pets by fortifying their reasons and means to justify their dumping of their pets and irresponsible behaviors. Especially the one is giving the advice is a high profile rescuer. Once an animal is thrown out on the street it is a death sentence.
The latest trend amongst the young high-income is to upgrade their pets when they got bigger pay and bonus. The trend is getting a better car and so must upgraded pet also lah. The victims are kampong tabbies who will be replaced by pure-bred; just browse through on-line buy/sell portal you will find many various type of breeds of cats/dogs up for sale. The seller are often unknown. Breeder questionable. Backlane? Homebreeders? Who knows but many victims of unscrupulous puppy mills. What happened to unwanted pets? Out on the street as usual.
It is hard to do what we do Dr. Chan, sometimes it is even harder when we have to put up with certain so-called rescuers. Cannot really comprehend why they do rescue work in the first place. If it is publicity and fame they are looking for it is really sad as the real victims here are always the innocent animals.
And may I add a few more types?
Type 5: Ms “Social Responsibility”
To the vet: “So why can’t I get a discount?? This is not even my cat, it’s just a stray that I picked up!! What kind of a vet are you? Where is your social responsibility??”
To the petfood shop owner: “You SHOULD give me a discount, I’m feeding strays, you know. They are not even my pets! You’re making so much profit, where is your social responsibility??”
To me: “What?? You are ONLY giving me a subsidy? I have no money, you know….These are not even my cats, they are strays. Why can’t you give me the money first, then I get it done. How do you expect me to get it done when I have no money? Where is your social responsibility as a charity?”
Note: The above are EXACT words I have heard; I did not make them up.
This demand for “social responsibility”…. Who says a vet, a petfood shop owner, or even I, as founder of AnimalCare, am obliged to carry out a social responsibility? What social responsibility?? I am NOT running AnimalCare as a social responsibility. I am running it because it is my passion to help in whatever small ways I can.
So, the next person who barks “Social Responsibility” to my face, please pray that I’m in a good mood…
And finally….the all-time winner of the Malignant Types…
Drum Roll………….
(Cymbals clash!)
Type 6: THE HOARDERS
Forgive the indulgence, I just couldn’t resist it…
I’m only human.
Comments
7 responses to “The various types of “rescuers””
I have received emails several times from one of the person who appealed for help in rescuing strays around CBJ. When i mentioned I am an individual just like him and i can only offer to help to catch but not to foster or adopt as I too have a few at home relying on me financially as as well other aspects). All I get was a rude reply. There’s another incident, a member from an animal group on FB which I am part of it too, asked for help to foster for a couple of days. I volunteered. In the end, that poor fella stayed with me almost 2 months till I found him an adopter. during that 1 month, the so called rescuer has never paid him a visit although she/he lives about 5 mins from my place.Till today the rescuer brags about rescuing but I still don’t understand the definition of rescuer and fosterer anymore. I really don’t want to label myself either a fosterer or a rescuer as all I do is pick up a kitten or a cat from the streets which to me is a reminder from god why first of all he has granted us a pair of hands. The point i want to make is, just because we are picking up a kitten/cat/dog or a puppy off the street perhaps to a certain degree is helping but at the same time, it is also a reminder for us humans that we are the very reason why they have ended up in streets. They also help us identify and find our perspective in life. Its a win win situation..i think.
Going back to the one barking ‘social responsiblity’: WHAT? THIS IS NOT EVEN MY PROBLEM. DO I KNOW YOU?
Dang. Some people should really grow up, like, inside-out, not outside-and-never-in.
And what ‘social responsibility’ does the rude caller feel? Is asking for handouts her biggest contribution? PFFFTHTHTHTHTH!!
Here’s my reply to her: You’re feeding strays? That’s very kind of you. Keep up the good work. Quietly, please.
Type 6 really scared me! Voldemort and Darth Vader! Good visuals. Like one of the readers commented somewhere – it could be a symptom of an unbalanced mind. Hence also their rude and unreasonable behaviour with humans.
YES, when I first got into this circle, I discovered this: The more gung-ho the rescuer, they more detached they are to the human race (read: they hate humans!).
Hoarders are actually people who are suffering from mental illness. Hoarding animals is the same as hoarding useless things in one’s house (until there is no more space in which to live!). Talking to them isn’t going to change their minds–they need help from a psychologist or psychiatrist. Often, their families have deserted them because they cannot cope with their hoarding behaviours anymore.
Hoarders..yes, they are of unbalanced mind and when it comes to animals, you can’t possibly imagine the horrendous situation the animals had to go through. Ms “Social Responsibility”? I thought social responsibility is innate in everyone, and a sane person wouldn’t question others in such a way that had been described (I was a bit disturbed to hear those words). Perhaps she was doing the job for praises and credits(who knew,right?)..Anyway, God knows who’s being sincere or not, and masquerading as a so-called-passionate-animal-rescuer wouldn’t count if the heart’s not in the right place. It’s okay to be angry once a while, Dr. Chan, for when you have encountered one person like that, you’ll gain two (or even more) people who will help you to do more for the animals in return…