By Donna Wild, Founder of Into Loving Homes
When I was 18 years old, I found myself in a situation that mayby some of you animal lovers can relate to. I was working in an office when a colleague posed a disturbing question: “Is it illegal to kill your cat?” His reason was that she was pregnant. Without hesitation, I offered, “I’ll take her.” After work, I went to his home and collected a very pregnant and very lovely cat. Her name was Melrose. She soon gave birth, and while I found homes for some of the kittens, I couldn’t find placements for all of them within my network or required timeframe. Faced with limited options or insight, I took the remaining kittens to the local shelter. When I got there, the staff assured me that the kittens would find new homes, but I couldn’t help but wonder about Melroses’ fate, they didn’t specify that she would be ok. Did I really save her, or did I merely pass on the ending of her life to someone else? A corporation instead of an individual doing the deed. Two decades later and that question still sits uneasy in my heart.
Many of us have encountered similar situations, at least where we have had to rehome animals, be it a hen, a mouse, a rabbit, a dog, a horse, or a cat. We didn’t have the ideal home, set up, circumstances or weren’t the person who should have been responsible for the animal- so we dropped them somewhere else, in the hopes of a better outcome.
I have been rehoming animals for many years now. There have been occasions where an adoption didn’t work out and the animal was listed again for rehoming. Interestingly, every person who ever returned the animal had said to me prior “I can’t believe people can just give up their animals.” For every finger pointed there are 3 pointed back?
The individuals that I have worked with over the years rehoming their animals for them have faced a myriad of challenges, from coping with death and navigating divorce to battling financial hardships and struggling with mental health issues, or lived with the animals in the home endangering one another. In these difficult times, people deserve support, not public criticism or online abuse.
At Into Loving Homes, we have a strict “zero bully” policy. We believe in providing a safe and compassionate space for all (human and animal), regardless of their circumstances. Our mission is simple: to ensure loving homes for animals in need, without judgment or discrimination. We invite you to join us in this mission.
When online trolling does actually make someone decide to not use Facebook to rehome their animals, it doesn’t solve the issue that got them there in the first place. A light bulb doesn’t go off and suddenly they see the light and realise they should never have tried to rehome them. No, instead, the animals continue in less than ideal circumstances with them or are rehomed some other way- a common one being euthanasia.
You can find animals ready for adoption on our Into Loving Homes Adoption Page. If you’d like to contribute to our cause or have any inquiries, please direct message us or call 1300-577-302. Every donation you make to Into Loving Homes goes directly toward finding animals loving homes, primarily through professionally targeted Facebook ads. Your support enables us to continue this crucial work, ensuring a brighter future for animals in need. Together, we can make a profound difference in their lives.
