4 Legged Angels

'Rescue/Rescuers' - An Open Letter.

'To Defend the Defenseless. To Help Those Who Can Not Help Themselves. To Protect the Innocent. To Save The Animals.' - Emphatically claimed as the goal, it is the mantra so often heard.

It is a courageous and worthy mission. It is also one that should never be taken lightly or with any thing other than true self-less-ness as the motivating factor behind every thought, every action, every deed the 'Rescuers' as individuals, as a team or an organization, perform or undertake.

As a 'Rescue/Rescuer'. If you operate from a place of, if your focus is only on 'self' and not 'other', if your motivations are, or at any time, become focused on anything BUT rescuing, saving, helping - that selfishness will corrupt the very essence of anything that you may have already or hope to accomplish, in the future.

No matter how perfectly created the facade put up, no matter how pretty the picture is painted, no matter how well kept or deeply hidden is the secret motivation behind, the truth will always come out and the consequences will not only cause all of those who believed in and stood behind you, to loose faith, it will deeply affect the very reason behind every action and deed, the animals.

Regardless of the fact that these actions are taken for a species that is non-human, your 'cause', your 'goal', is no different from any other, where the strong try to defend and protect those unable to protect or defend themselves; children, elderly, infirmed. Yet it is a responsibility that many could not fathom; 'I'd rather save a human, at least a human will know they were rescued' , one that many would not even consider undertaking - 'Just let them be put down, there are too many already” and for so many the thought 'It's just an animal' governs opinions and actions; or lack thereof.

Many do not understand the soul deep desire to defend the defenseless. They do not see the reasons to save the abused, mend the broken nor do they understand the joy felt when you are able to bring a pure spirit out of darkness that motivations and abusive acts of others [from OUR species] have placed them in and you can SEE the relief, the happiness and the thankfulness reflect in their eyes and on their faces.

Few of these individuals understand the feeling in the soul of a truly dedicated and devoted, animal guardian and rescuer. The feeling that drives them so fiercely, that motivates at times, to risk life and limb just to bring an animal out of the darkness, to be there to show them the compassion, the tenderness, the love they have never experienced at the hands of a human before and just as amazing as it is when a rescue is successful, it is heart rending when it is not.

A 'Rescuer'; regardless of what their 'cause'/'goal' may be, is one who lives through sorrow and death repeatedly, hundreds if not, thousands of times over. Every time their actions are unsuccessful - they, themselves - experience a death inside and it is because of this - whenever those "Rescuers' are successful, they experience such a surge of joy, of happiness and hope is renewed. It is a feeling that can not be explained and can not be understood, unless you experience it.

I write for those who do know, for those who are driven, every-single-day, by that desire to stand up against abuse, torment, neglect and torture of the defenseless, those for who, the only goal truly IS 'Rescue', to save all they can and to mourn those they could not.

I write this for all who wake in the morning and go to sleep every night with a soul that is full; of pain and sorrow for those lost and joy for those who were rescued.

I write because my heart - will not allow me to remain silent.

Like so many others, I am infuriated, I am disgusted, I am heartsick at the pictures, the media coverage, the horrible stories. The lies, the betrayals, the abuse, the neglect, the tortures and torment inflicted by those who are supposed to be 'helping' through; rescuing, fostering, boarding or training. The fake 'rescue' photos, donated money being pocketed and used for personal gain. The half-truths and out-right deceptions.

Greed, selfishness, torture, abuse and pettiness. These things belong only to the humans. We OWN this truth. No other species in the world exhibit these tendencies.

I am writing this to every single 'Rescuer/Rescue' wearing this title like a badge of honor and in no way deserving it. Those who; neglect, abuse or kill those entrusted to their 'care'. Those who; take money from individuals who will give their last dollar to try and help, because that is all they can do and then pocket the funds donated, for personal gain. Those who; act without reason or common sense and cause harm to the very animals they supposedly seek to save, in any manner or fashion and leave to others to 'clean up' the mess. Those who; claim their 'reason for existing' is to support 'Animal Rescue' and yet they support the killing of thousands, if not millions of animals needlessly, every year.

All of you; however big or small, from the individual to the well supported organization.

You fail. You fail. You fail. You FAIL in every aspect of what 'Rescue' truly means.

You betray every individual that places trust in you to do the RIGHT thing.

You fail when the greed to line your own pocket makes the next rescue impossible.

You fail the person who places their beloved pet in your care and that companion/best friend is lost to them because, in every way that is possible, you failed.

You fail with every lie that passes your lips just to get another dollar put in the donation jar.

You fail when you allow pettiness, immaturity and ego to take precedence over helping to save the next animal.

You fail all of those in the the Rescue community who are struggling desperately to save and help and educate as many as possible and do the right thing, not for personal gain, (everyone knows its very, very rare to find a 'Rescuer' who has money to spare loitering about in their checking account), but because it's the RIGHT thing to do, for the animals.

'Rescue' [or] 'Rescuer', a title worn by so many and truly deserved by so few.

Every article, every blog, every expose written, laying bare the 'secrets'; the greed, abuses, neglect, inhumane treatment, scams to get 'more money', every single miniscule amount of negative media, behind the hand whispers, out-right claims of lies and betrayals, all of these things impose a possible death sentence on those yet to be saved and puts another mountain in the way of those who truly seek only one thing, rescue.

The people once willing to help, to support, are now wary and will think twice or even three times, before they put that last dollar from their pocket into that donation jar, volunteer their time or buy food/beds/toys to donate, to try and DO something, do anything... and why? Because they read an article on social media, watched a news report, got an email, heard a whisper and now, they do not know who or what to believe. They really want to help the animals, but they hesitate and that hesitation can mean the difference between life and death for thousands, they just don't know WHO TO TRUST, so they don't trust any, "It's better to be safe, than sorry" right?

You cheat to further your own success with no thought beyond that. You lie. You betray trust and you steal life. You give no credence to humanity and your negativity causes the work that others do every single day, to be doubted, maligned and disputed. Your ignorance and selfish actions rip at the very fabric of an already, almost thread bare 'cause' for which so many fight every day, to make stronger.

You do a great injustice to the entire 'Animal Rescue' community. You, do not, deserve to wear the title and if you've ever spoken remotely close to - 'To act on behalf of those who cannot act for themselves, to take a stand, to guard and speak in defense of those who cannot speak for or protect themselves.' - that, without any hesitation again, You Failed.

Please remember, “What goes around, comes around” and when it does;

May your greed to line your pockets be the captain of the boat when you are adrift in a sea of debt.

May your selfishness guide you as you learn what it is, to do without.

May your abuses be the light that you must see by, as you walk in blackness of an agony equal to that which you inflicted upon those entrusted to your care and the people who loved them.

May your neglects be the sustenance that fills your belly and quenches your thirst.

May your secrets be your shade when the facade you wear is torn away and the harsh, unrelenting truth shines on you.

May your lies protect your ears when the heart wrenching cries of pain and betrayal from those entrusted to you and those who trusted you, become deafening.

May the spirits of those who have been lost or go without 'Rescue', because of your thoughtlessness, abuse, neglect, selfishness and greed, be your constant companions and shadow your every step.

Mankind's true moral test, its fundamental test (which lies deeply buried from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals. And in this respect mankind has suffered a fundamental debacle, a debacle so fundamental that all others stem from it. - M. Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being