My Pet World: Woman gives good life to community cats, but wishes for more

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Apr 6, 2022

Dear Edith,

I disagree. I have worked for animal shelters for many years, and that “small” adoption fee you mention is part of the income shelters and rescue groups need to pay for that pet’s care, which includes housing, food, medications, surgeries, staff salaries, etc. Without grants, donations, and adoption fees, there would be no organizations or people doing rescue work.

Regarding your concern about adopters using the word “rescue,” the word has taken on a new meaning as awareness for homeless pets has grown. When I started in this field 30 years ago, people visited animal shelters as a second or third choice when looking for a new family member. But today, more people choose animal shelters and rescue groups as their first choice because they are much more aware of the plight of homeless pets and want to be part of the solution.

As a result, there has been a language shift; the word “adoption” has become synonymous with the word “rescue.” People generally don’t say they adopted a pet anymore; they say they rescued one. By using this language, they are communicating in a single word that their newest family member is from an animal shelter or rescue group and not a breeder.

That’s a powerful message and one that pet parents are naturally proud of. They are not only a part of their pet’s rescue story, but THE essential happy ending needed for the final rescue of that pet. So, it’s not a diss to the animal shelter or rescue group to say, “I rescued my dog.” It’s an acknowledgment of the role the pet parent played in this lifesaving work. When you think about it on this level, I hope you can appreciate all the people stepping up to “rescue” pets and give them forever homes. After all, the only thing that matters is that dogs and cats find homes where they are loved.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)