I’m going to come out and say it. I’m not too fond of animal shelters or animal rescues. Don’t get me wrong, they do a valuable service and the non-profit organizations among them get nothing less than my full respect and admiration, but cue the ice cream jingle because when it comes to animals, I’m Mister Softee. It’s the physical act of seeing all these abandoned or abused animals and looking in their big doughy eyes. After 10 minutes, I want to take home every cat, dog, and pig they have just to get that sad, longing look off their faces. But I know it can’t be done, and that’s why I don’t like them.

Personal feelings aside, like I previously mentioned, the animal shelters in Buffalo Niagara serve an essential function and are crucial to the tedious process of finding a good home for any animal that needs it. So if you’re built of sterner stuff than I and can withstand being in such a place for more than ten minutes without running out to your car and crying on the steering wheel because you know in your heart you can’t take Señor Sprinkles the cat home, you might have started down the path of adopting a new animal friend at one of the many animal shelters in Buffalo Niagara!

Have you ever seen a stray cat or dog on the street and wanted to take it home? In all seriousness, rarely is this a good idea. The dog or cat could have fleas or all manner of germs and whatnot. That’s why it’s best to take them to an animal shelter in Buffalo Niagara when you find yourself in that situation. Because really – what are you going to do?

I’m not, nor do I know, any off-duty veterinarian who has a fridge full of animal shots for almost any circumstance (I’m sure they exist; I haven’t run into them yet, however). In a shelter, the animal in question can get appropriately treated for whatever they might have, as well as protection from anything they might get in the future. I know there’s a stigma about getting animals from shelters and pounds because depending on the place, the animals may be put down after a certain amount of time, but rest assured the places we have listed are those that don’t kill the animals. My bleeding heart wouldn’t have it any other way.

Rescue shelters are tricky. Anything dealing with abuse is a tricky subject. The sad truth of the world is some see animals as lesser creatures. From the cuddliest kitten to the stockiest pit bull, they believe themselves higher up the food chain and thus have a right to harm the animal in their possession because they deem them their property. This is but one reason for animal abuse among many others, but what’s genuinely essential when running an animal shelter is the ability to handle frightened animals. Because an animal going into a shelter for the first time has essentially suffered some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder, the animal is rightfully on its guard as soon as it enters the door. This requires the right amount of gentleness and the occasional bit of sternness to get the animal out of his or her predicament hopefully.

The people running these rescue shelters are just as described. They have to have the right combination of compassion and strength to stand their ground if the animal ever becomes unruly during this process. Running a rescue or shelter is as complicated, and in some cases, they combine the two.

The world isn’t always a nice place. There’s more than enough pain and suffering to go around for everyone, and as an unfortunate result, a lot of the world’s pain and suffering gets placed on animals. This is the way of the world. It’s never going to change in that respect.

Still, as long as there continue to be good people ready and willing to either find an abandoned/harmed animal a home or take the time to rehabilitate and nurture an animal that’s been abused until they can adequately acclimate back into society and then find a good home, there’s hope that every animal abused or otherwise can find a good home!

If you’re thinking of adopting an animal and have the right living environment ready to do so, I’d advise you to go to your nearest animal shelter in Buffalo Niagara to get a new friend. Because right now, there’s an animal that’s perfect for you, and it’s just waiting for you to come by and change his or her life for the better! The world’s not a nice place, but as long as people are willing to confront its ugliness and make things a little better for our smallest companions, then it’s still a place worth living in.