Few people like to dwell on the suffering of other living creatures, and many of you have most likely wondered if there is anything you can do personally to make this world a little happier. While most of us don’t have unlimited personal resources, and no one can single-handedly change the world, there are little things we can do that matter.
You may ask yourself, “What can I do?” Here is an idea: if you are able and have the resources to do so, perhaps consider opening your heart and home to an animal needing a refuge. Much like human beings in need of help, there are hundreds of animals who have been backed into corners, with nowhere to go and no way out on their own. Volunteering to foster these animals in need of rescue is a service some may overlook or find unimportant in comparison with other social problems. However, reaching out to suffering animals is just as worthwhile and rewarding, and the animal you help will forever thank you for your compassion.
When you foster an animal, you save a life. In shelters and veterinary clinics across the country, animals by the dozens sit in dark, lonely cages or sheds surrounded by other frightened, love-starved creatures. Dogs, cats, and others wait day after day—but most of them never leave the shelter again, and are euthanized because adoption never occurred. It’s a dreary, depressing picture; one that most of these shelters and clinics cannot fight alone. But, there is hope, and you can be a part of it!
Hope comes in the form of foster organizations who work with shelters to extricate animals on what is called the Kill List, which is exactly what it sounds like. But these organizations can only do so much; they need compassionate, aware people like you to help out by providing a temporary home for animals in need. By volunteering a space in your home, you literally snatch an animal from death’s awaiting grip. You give it a second chance.
Believe it or not, animals know when they have been rescued. They recognize that second chance, and they take it with all of their hearts. And, they will thank you. When you see that mother dog with her babies, and she looks at you with eyes full of tenderness, you will know that she is grateful. When the old horse in your empty shed nuzzles you affectionately, you will feel his appreciation. They will pay you back in ways that you never thought possible—through giving them a shot at life, you too will find yourself more alive than ever.
Life is precious. Alleviating animal suffering and death is as worthwhile as any other service in this world. You can help, simply by opening your heart and inviting an animal into your life. Believe this: it makes all of the difference, because through saving a life, you find greater meaning in your own.