Rescue Journal

judgement day

Carol  ·  Feb. 7, 2008

following up on the comments regarding the ISSUE of making judgements (the ones we make public, and the personal ones that we keep for ourselves)
everyone makes judgements about everything, each and every day. this is how we practice and define our values and morals. the question becomes, how much careful thought, how much knowledge is behind the judgements we make. how many times do we all hear simplistic and inaccurate statements regarding the trouble in the middle east and the obvious and simple (to some) solutions? the same is true for global poverty and genocide among third world nations. everyone has an opinion on the devastation of AIDS in africa and over the last 3o years some of those helpful opinions have had quite profound and negative results.

i believe we are free to make judgements where the consequences of our actions (or inactions) fall directly to ourselves. then the only one who will pay the price for any mistakes we make in those judgements will be the one who decided to act (or not) in a certain way.

but if we are going to start effecting the rest of the world, be it other humans or animals at risk, we better make sure that not only are our judgements correct but we must be prepared to follow thru to the end. it really was not all that helpful to animals being killed by the thousands in gas chambers across the states to lose a single good rescue. ellen certainly has not stepped in to take those at risk animals that the rescue no longer accepts, but ellen did not think about that.

i have no problem with opinions that differ from one end of the football field to the other as long as someone isn't unnecessarily dying or suffering because of a difference of opinion or an argument on the internet. i think we need to be careful and cognizant of the results of the PUBLIC judgements we make. yes there are rescues that i prefer to have animals avoid but you will never get me to say which. all i can is to educate the callers as i turn their animal away on what to reasonably look for as they continue their search for a solution as to where to abandon their pet.

and i will truthfully tell you, that is not just about the physical care that the animal will receive..it is about the ability of the rescue group to circumvent the pitfalls of decision making too. i will suggest they speak to different vets, that they call the spca, that they check with the animal controls about who they would recommend. it is not my job to pronounce to others the fitness of one group or another to adequately complete the task, and there are very few current rescues lately that i have had the opportunity to personally visit and decide for myself if i am comfortable with the way they practice their craft.

as with the celtic rescue back east, you cannot blindly believe what we all portray on our websites...the reality could be much different because no one is going to post pictures of starving and sick animals, living in filthy cages and say "this is what we do." we are not going to tell you if the pounds and spca's refuse to work with us either.... or if we do, we are going to tell you that they are at fault and not doing their job very well because we are the best that there is.

it all comes down to education, building the knowledge to make the decisions we make. it is not a "say whatever you feel like" session with our decisions consequence-free.

ripples in the pond can be killers, to both those who speak unthinkingly but especially to those who can't speak at all.

this would be a good thing to keep in the back of our minds when we make public vs personal judgements.

Comments

Marisa

Great post, Carol!!! You are very right about this. I think the most important point you made was "Be prepared to follow through." For instance if any of us were ever responsible for forcing a rescue to close its doors for whatever reasons we deemed necessary it is IMPERATIVE that WE take the responsibility for all the lives now at loose ends. Nothing like that should ever be undertaken lightly...we must always be prepared to step up to the plate and not just cast aspersions and decry someone else's efforts.
Also, people who are looking for help with their animals should take the time to educate themselves. It boggles my mind when people who are otherwise quite sensible drop their animals off at a place which they have never even visited or checked out.

Carol

i am sorry you were hurt angela...words are such tricky things, we can wound with intent or with innocence...either way it still hurts. my one word of advice on this is...when we get nailed...never take it personally...even if it was intended to be personal...put it down to poor social skills or bad manners or poor self control or too tired or too burntout, or just a bad day and realize the problem was not yours so the hurt doesn't belong to you either.
keep posting, you have a good mind and a good heart. we all say things sometimes that hurt someone else, i wish i was better at not doing that!

Nicole

angela, i have to agree with your first statement!
the only way i could keep dealing with seniors is because of their happy faces. (and also that carol is wonderful, blah, blah, blah).
Carol can correct me if i'm wrong, but i'm pretty sure that things like clyde curling up with her while watching a movie or percy playing or sweetpea's disgusting noises, etc. are all happy things that help Carol continue what she's doing. there are many really crappy parts about being involved at SAINTS (the many, many goodbyes), but personally, that is heavily outweighed by all the dorky animals that making a big ruckus when i go out there.

I'm sorry that you felt jumped on.
this goes to all saints supporters/blog readers:
please don't ever hesitate to post any comments (reminder to everyone else: be polite)
just because you don't get to come and physically visit saints doesn't mean you aren't part of it (that sounded way too cheesy, but it's true)
i love that people who found out about saints because of the americats, etc. regularly read this blog and are now 'involved' in what we do/believe in. (again, with the cheese).

Angela from NY

a while back, when I first began reading this blog Carol was questioning if it was worth it what she did and I, Naively wrote something to the effect of, of course it is and I'm sure you're reminded when you see their smiling faces and you are wonderful and special in what you do and so on. A comment was made back by a regular and I have to say I sort of felt attacked (but admittedly I have a thin skin and really who was I to just jump in...) when I was only trying to be nice, she said and I'm not quoting, but something to the effect of that people who think its all nice and fairytales are out of touch and have no idea and I swore I wouldn't say anything again...but I have to say after reading all this and so much throughout the year I really see how naive my blind statement must have seemed and I am truly learning a lot that I did not know and that I'm sure a million more people just like me out there going along their day as usual do not get. I am begining to see more of the reality of it all and all the many very complicated layers of rescue. Your blog has really been a learning experience and I thank you very much for opening my eyes and giving me and others the opportunity to glimpse into your world, for what it really is, not just for what it may appear to be to people on the surface. Is that good or Bad? I'm sure thats a whole other story but for me Its good. :)

Thanks again-