Adoption, Rescue, and Trauma

Specter and Mercury were found in a friend’s barn and were very sick. They spent the first six months of their lives quarantined in the bathroom. They’ve come a long way since then!

Trauma isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think about rescue. We think about happy endings, and giving a pet a loving home, where they always know the next meal is coming. But we forget that their life prior to arriving at our homes may have been fraught with stress, and that the actual rescue process itself might not be all roses as we like to think.

Animals who find themselves in a shelter often arrive due to unfortunate circumstances. On the mild end, they may have been a surrender due to their owner having a personal issue that meant they could no longer keep their beloved pet. On the tougher end of the spectrum, they may have been in a bad situation which could have included abuse, or lack of food, or even just a feral situation out living on their own. No matter how they arrive - they end up at the rescue or shelter facility through no fault of their own. They are poked and prodded through a vet exam, and placed in a cage by themselves, in a facility where many animals arrive scared and stressed from all the changes. Fear has a smell, and animals are very aware when others are afraid around them. So they’ve gone from a situation where things are at least familiar, even if they aren’t good, to a place where everything is unfamiliar, and saturated in fear and anxiety. It’s pretty easy to see why this wouldn’t seem like such a great arrangement to an animal.

Many rescues and adoption organizations don’t take into account how stressful it is on an animal to have their entire lives turned upside down in this process. They just focus on how much “good” they are doing for the pet. As a result, things end up being done to the animals, not for or with the animals, and the animals are rarely given the chance to understand what is happening.

Obviously, as people, we understand that the work that is being done is important, and will keep the animal from dying. We know intellectually that the pet was in a place where they would not receive the care they need in order to thrive, and so we go through the process of moving them to a facility, and give them vet care and good nurition. But many animals don’t think that the situation they were in was a problem, Thank You Very Much.

So how can we help support our rescued pets through the entire process? Here’s a few tips to help make the transition smooth and supportive:

Talk to your pet and explain everything that’s happening and why. Let them know that the vet exam is important so that they can receive care if they are in pain or catch any issues before they become big problems. Explain the routine that is a part of your household, or where ever they are living, and what you know will happen and when, and who they might encounter along the way. Let them know that whatever happened in their past wasn’t the most ideal situation for them to be in, and the future is going to be better.
Acknowledge their past experiences, and that they were not given a chance to express their opinion about how they felt about any of it. Respect the fact that they weren’t given a choice in the matter, and they may have liked where they lived before, even if we don’t “approve” of their situation. Allowing them to have that opinion, and respecting it goes a long way towards building a relationship together in the future.
Give them time and space to process things that are happening and new experiences. Go slower than you think you should be going with anything you introduce. Changes can be very over whelming for pets, especially if they have gone through a lot of different places in the process of being “rescued.” So allow them to get comfortable with new things on their own terms. Finding ways to be near them without putting any pressure on them to do anything are great ways to bond (one of my favorites is to hang out reading a book close by whatever space they have).
Know that they may not eat very well, or you may not see them exploring the space (especially cats), and allow that to be ok. The more we worry about their behavior not being “right” or healthy, the more stress it places on the pet. When given the freedom to come around at their own pace they will do so faster anyway.
Don’t force them into interactions with other people, children, or new places if they are resistant. Let them set their own boundaries, and respect it. If you’d like to engage them, do something that they might find fun, like play with a toy, yourself, and see if you can get them interested in the game rather than bringing the game to them or forcing an experience on them.
Start with small spaces, and slowly open up what is available to them, especially if you have other animals or small children in the home. A bathroom, or guest bedroom, where they can have their own space and quiet will allow them to get used to the noises of the house, and give them some private space where they can relax. Extend the amount of time they spend out of that space slowly, and introduce them to other members of the house briefly at first, until everyone is comfortable and relaxed. Always keep a close eye on your new companion at first to make sure they don’t end up in trouble, get aggressive, or feel threatened by other members of the family.

It’s a wonderful thing to be able to give a pet a loving home when they are in need of one, and there is no shortage of pets that need homes. Just remember that they do have a past history, and that can sometimes have pretty big impact on how they show up now. As always, working with an animal communicator can help smooth the transition for everyone, and allow your new pet to have their own voice and opinion - which is always a confidence booster!

"You Quit Riding an Hour Ago"

Fading Glory