More On Being A �rescuer�

Here is another sharing from one of our readers, as a response to my post:�http://myanimalcare.org/2012/02/29/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 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.

Sometimes, the role “rescuer” is used too widely and commonly in our community, I really don’t know what it means anymore.

To me, a true-blue RESCUER is one who is equiped with the skills, knowledge and expertise to do proper rescue work, ie. rescue dogs from swampy islands, rescue cats from the top of a high-rise building, etc. (just to quote a few examples). It is certainly not someone who picks up kittens and puppies from a drain.

I’m definitely NOT a rescuer!

But never mind, since the term “rescuer” is used all over the place, it’s okay when someone calls herself a “rescuer” and picks up animals in need. I don’t have any problem with that. But I will still not call myself a rescuer! It sounds too grand to me. Why, I cannot even get my own cat down from the roof, so….what rescuer? �ha ha…

What is a fosterer then? I think it ought to be someone who FOSTERS animals on a long-term basis, but does not adopt them. So, RESCUERS and those who pick up animals in need hand over the animals to the FOSTERER with the agreement of a certain time period of fostering. After the agreed duration, the rescuer must take back the animals and not conveniently “dump” them with the fosterer. Er…that’s how Tiger and Indy landed up with me. I never heard from Tiger’s rescue group anymore while Indy’s rescuer said he’s better off with me. Well, alright, since Indy was brought to me in dire straits and almost dying. I couldn’t give him back in that state.

So, if we are neither one of the above, what are we? I think we can safely call ourselves “caregivers” to animals?

But then again, as the Bard would say, What’s in a name? A rose, by any name, would smell as sweet.

Wouldn’t it?

Source: http://myanimalcare.org/2012/02/29/more-on-being-a-rescuer/

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AnimalCare is a registered society that promotes caregiving to street animals and helps in their neutering and medical needs. AnimalCare has a Medical Fund, Food Fund and Education Fund.

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