Every life has value. No dog deserves to spend his final days afraid, alone, or in pain.

[DainBramaged]

Every Life Has Worth: Why Compassion Holds are so Important


You don’t hear much about compassion holds in the rescue community, and it makes me sad. I understand that compassion holds may be a difficult topic for some people to hear about, but I also think that they’re under-utilized by many rescues. Some rescues don’t even do them. This is a shame, since they’re a very big way to make a difference for a needy animal.

So, what is a compassion hold? In the simplest sense, it’s a way to ensure that the last days of a suffering animal’s life are filled with love, safety, and dignity. It’s a humane act.

There are two kinds of compassion hold cases: behavioral and medical. I do both.

Medical compassion holds are done in cases where an animal is not adoptable due to a severe medical problem. This could be untreatable cancer, severe wounds that the shelter or rescue deems untreatable, puppies with congenital conditions (such as severe heart murmurs or liver shunts) who will not live to adulthood, or senior dogs who don’t have long left.



Henry was fearful, reactive, and a resource guarder. He was also sweet and earnest. He had spent most of his life tied to a radiator in a NYC apartment.





Behavioral compassion holds are in some ways much harder, as these are animals who are young and healthy, but are not adoptable due to severe behavior issues (usually aggression). These animals are not at fault. They have been damaged by people, and because of the horrible things that have been done to them, they cannot safely be placed.



http://lessonsfromlayla.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/every-life-has-worth-why-compassion-holds-are-so-important/

[michaz]

1. It is so sad. I do not know how some people live with themselves.

To those of us who work with rescues and shelters and choose to adopt shelter dogs rather than buy them from breeders we see and understand this and know how absolutely rotten some humans can be. Many get puppies or kittens and when they grow into adult cats and dogs they don't find them so cute anymore, so they dump them at a shelter or do worse. Many refuse to spay or neuter and then it is simply more puppies and kittens that are dumped. And then there are puppy mills. Where these poor dogs are kept in cages and never or if seldom are allowed out of them. They are made to do nothing but reproduce and many are inbred. Then they are shipped to a pet store and sold to people who don't have a clue until their dog develops serious problems and a trip to their vet where the vet informs them about the problems from purchasing an animal from the pet store. It makes me a very angry person at times.

[astonamous]

2. My email inbox and facebook is filled every day with 100's

of animals needing rescue or rescues needing fosters and donations.

Video: http://youtu.be/ajfi0fXE858

[lukasahero]

5. Wow

Powerful video.

My mailbox looks a lot like yours. Sometimes it's overwhelming. Thank you for trying.

[a la izquierda]

9. Oh god, I can't take it.

I sobbed and sobbed last night over a poor boy in a SC shelter. Breaks my heart.

My husband dreams of opening a rescue. We just need me to get a tenure track job somewhere where we can buy about 2 acres to build kennels and runs. He's got well nearly 2 decades of experience with dogs and cats in a variety of capacities.

[Mz Pip]

3. I'm looking to adopt a shelter dog

I would like a dog that is maybe 3 or 4 years old. I have cats and it's not easy to find a dog that is okay with cats.

I'll keep looking!

Our only family dog was a shelter puppy. We got her when she was 8 weeks old so she was introduced to cats early on. She was a German Shepard Chow Chow mix.

[TygrBright]

4. Talk to several shelters in your area.

Some shelters make an effort to cross-species socialize, to some extent. Many at least observe and/or note the dogs who are alright with cats and vice-versa.

Shelter staff and volunteers are just amazing, amazing human beings.

appreciatively,
Bright

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

6. Try rescue groups Many are listed on Petfinder.com

A foster-home based rescue group may have foster homes with cats - we do. Many of our dogs are accustomed to living with cats.

[CountAllVotes]

8. I had Shelties

I had two different ones and they got along very well with both of my cats. The Shelties are gone now but I still have the same two cats. I could tell they missed the two Shelties after they were gone. I was crying and one of my cats was licking the tears off of my cheek after he had died of cancer.

Some cats do like dogs; they find them to be a new "four-legged" friend. :)

Keep looking -- a mild mannered dog might do best and one that is not too large perhaps?

Sad video and yes, far too many dogs end up with no where to go, especially these days. :(

:dem:

[japple]

7. You're right. No animal deserves to have anything less than a loving

home and family. For those of us in the rescue business, the rewards are few, especially this time of year when the animal shelters are full and so many are euthanized every week. My mailbox is also full of pictures of wonderful, adoptable pets that are on death row. The animals are here to teach us unconditional love, compassion, and patience. We have not done a good job of learning our lessons.

Here's one man who has learned.

http://www.care2.com/causes/15-year-old-dog-stumbles-onto-heros-lawn-both-get-swept-away.html