Rescuing your next pet

so, you have decided to adopt a rescue animal from your local shelter or rescue group. Congratulations! The homeless animals of the nation salute you!

Seriously, many people state that they choose to buy an animal from a breeder or pet store as a puppy or kitten so they know they are starting with a "clean slate." Guess what? They aren't. If they are purchasing their dog or cat from a pet store, they may be the unwitting new owners of a puppy mill (or kitten mill) animal. These animals have been born to mothers that are over bred and neglected. They often are raised in small cages and have very little, if any, socialization. Many breeders raise animals under the same conditions if they see the animals as merely a "paycheck."

Let's assume you have done your research and are adopting from an extremely reputable breeder (Yes, they do exist!). You may still end up with an animal with behavioral and health issues. Scientifically speaking, "mutts" are healthier than purebred animals. It's a phenomenon referred to as "hybrid vigor", which essentially means that your "mutt" dog or cat's parents have drastically different genetic histories and they are less likely to have genetic defects. Behaviorally speaking, purebred animals are not without issues. They can have aggression, training, and separation anxiety issues just like a rescue animal, only you don't know about it going in! If you are set on having a purebred dog, please contact your local shelter for a list of breed rescues in your area.

As a rescuer, I have always encouraged new pet owners to adopt an adult animal, and here's why:

• you know what issues the animal has going into the relationship
• you don't have to deal with all of those annoying (although often cute) puppy and kitten "issues"
• you will be saving the life of an animal that needs you.

People line up to adopt puppies and kittens while adult animals are often overlooked. When adopting an adult animal from a shelter or rescue group, you will typically know or have some idea about the following:

• How they are with other dogs and cats
• How they are with children, both younger and older
• Their activity level
• Any apparent behavioral issues
• Any medical issues

I worked with a woman in rescue that would say "If we have a dog that only likes 3ft tall blonde women with green eyes, then we will find him a 3ft blonde woman with green eyes!" Every human being we know has "baggage" of some sort. Why should our pets be any different? The goal is to find "matching baggage." If you work a 12 hour day, it wouldn't be a good idea to adopt a young German Shepherd with separation anxiety. If you have an active toddler, a Chihuahua would not be the best match. However, you may be the perfect match for that 3 year old Lab mix who is very active (you jog), loves cats (you have two), but doesn't like to be left alone for more than 6 hours (you work from home)!

Be sure to ask about the history of the animal you are interested in: Where did they come from? Were they rescued from pound, picked up as a stray or turned in by their owner? Has the shelter been able to observe the animal interacting with other animals or children? Do they have any insight into what the animal does and does not like? Many rescue animals have "baggage" that involves men, who are statistically more likely to abuse animals than women. What did the previous owner say about the animal? What were the animal's good and bad habits? What is the animal's medical history? Please don't take everything the previous owner said about the animal as gospel. Owners giving up their animals are notorious for giving misinformation in order to assuage themselves of guilt. "Little Fluffy is a terrible biter!" translates into "We are moving and don't have time for her, but don't want you to think we are bad people."

It all boils down to this: Like people, all animals have "issues" and "baggage", whether or not they were raised in a loving and supportive environment. Let me tell you a brief story to illustrate this point.

I was working at the Glendale Humane Society when a little 12 pound spaniel mix came into the shelter. He had been brought in as a stray by two men that found him on the street. Once inside the shelter, he began growling and snapping at everyone. For some reason, this little guy won my heart and I sat with him for 10 minutes trying to convince him to let me pet him. I managed to get my hand within a few inches of him before he would begin growling again, so I dragged him to his cage, where I continued to sit with him. He immediately hid under my legs and we suddenly became fast friends. After a few days at the shelter, we noticed he was losing hair along his face and right side. After several visits to different vets, it was determined that he had been burned by hot water all over his chin and face and over 8 inches of his right side. He tolerated his daily treatment of warm baths to loosen and remove the dead hair and skin, antibiotics, and handling, which was certainly painful for him. Needless to say, he decided he was my "son" and has wormed his way into my already full house. "Baxter" has fully recovered from his burns, although his hair will never grow back, and is just as loving if not more so than any other pet I have ever met. Meanwhile the Golden Retriever mix that I have had from 8 weeks old is the most misbehaved of the bunch!

Animals know when they are rescued and will willingly give over their hearts for you doing so. Please visit your shelter or local rescue group today and find the next love of your life!

Christina Kilby is currently the Secretary of Valley Cats Inc. and has worked with numerous animal rescue organizations in the Los Angeles area. She is also the owner of Folk Tails, an online gift store for pet lovers that donates 10% of all proceeds to rescue organizations.

Editor's note: Christina has donated this article at no cost to AnimalForum.com. Please support her by visiting and purchasing items from her Web site, Folk Tails, so that AnimalForum can continue to bring you informative content.