The Harsh Reality of Returning Fur Babies to Shelters: Negative Effects on All Sides
Returning a Fur Baby to the shelter can have detrimental effects not only on the Fur Baby but also on the shelter. It is a decision that needs to be thought out as possibly the last resort, as it can have far-reaching consequences.
Better yet, invest in yourself and your future Fur Baby to learn about the commitment, both emotional and financial, you need to make prior to the serious decision of adopting a Precious Fur Baby to your family. You will also learn about the consequences you created to a Precious Fur Baby and the rescue and/or shelter.
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The Fur Baby May Not Be Adopted Again
First, let’s consider the impact on the Fur Baby. Fur Babies that are returned to the shelter often experience heightened levels of stress and anxiety. They may have already experienced trauma in their life, and returning to the shelter can be a traumatic event for them. The shelter environment is often noisy and chaotic, which can be overwhelming for the Fur Baby. Additionally, they may have trouble readjusting to shelter life after experiencing life outside of the shelter.
Furthermore, returning a Fur Baby often affects its chances of getting adopted. In some cases, Fur Babies that have been returned to the shelter multiple times may be deemed unadoptable, decreasing their chances of finding a permanent home. A lot of the times it may not be the fault of the Fur Baby. It could be the fault of the uneducated adopter. That person may not have any clue what it is like to adopt this precious little angel. This can be devastating for the Fur Baby, as they may spend the rest of their life in the shelter when it’s a no kill shelter or a rescue saves their life..
The Impact on The Shelter
Now let’s consider the impact on the shelter. Returning Fur Babies to the shelter creates a strain on already scarce resources. It takes time and money to care for Fur Babies, and when a Fur Baby is returned, the shelter must spend additional resources readjusting the Fur Baby to shelter life. This prevents the shelter from focusing on the Fur Babies that truly need their help.
Furthermore, returning Fur Babies to the shelter can cause more overcrowding, leading to a decrease in the overall well-being of the Fur Babies at the shelter. The shelter may become overcrowded, making it challenging for staff to give individualized attention to each Fur Baby. This can lead to increased stress and anxiety among the Fur Babies and lower adoption rates.
This article by Yahoo Life highlights the realties of shelters dealing with returns, which happens far too often.
Make Sure You're Capable of the Commitment That Comes With Your Adoption
When you and/or your family make the decision to adopt a Fur Baby into your family, just like any Pet Parent, there is so much more to learn than going to a rescue, looking for a new baby (sometimes a specific baby), buying a collar, a leash, a water bowl, a food bowl, poop bags, and maybe some toys. There is so much more to learn than just those things.
In our class, we teach and inspire you to be a great Pet Parent. You will learn the basics of how to prepare your home before bringing a Fur Baby home, your commitment to this little Fur Baby, how to prepare for a natural disaster with this Fur Baby (and you know we have natural disasters), and so much more. If you are already a Pet Parent, there is still a lot to learn, so sign up for our classes so we can teach and inspire you (and your family) to be great Pet Parents!
Irreversible Damage
Lastly, returning an Fur Baby to the shelter can damage the shelter’s credibility. If people believe that the shelter is unwilling or unable to care for Fur Babies adequately, they may be less likely to donate or adopt Fur Babies from the shelter.
People often think a Fur Baby does not remember the same way a human does. Studies have shown that this isn’t the case. Just as abuse causes trauma, neglect and rejection can cause lasting damage to an Fur Baby.
In conclusion, returning a Fur Baby to the shelter can have both immediate and long-term negative consequences. It is essential to consider all options before making this decision to ensure that the animal’s well-being and the shelter’s resources are not compromised. It is crucial to work with the shelter staff and take the necessary steps to help the animal adjust to a new home and prevent returns in the future.
