Buddy, Rescued by LLC. Taken in with bad joints, multiple puncture wounds, and a severely infected ear. Rehabilitated and adopted out to a pet home.
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Is rescuing right for you?We all want the best for chinchillas, whether they are ours or belong to someone else. Rescuing releases a natural endorphins that makes us feel good about what we've done, and makes us want to continue to do it. I'd never want to discourage anyone from rescuing any animal, but there's a lot that goes into rescuing an animal than most owners think about.
Before taking on any animal, you need to know exactly what you're getting into, and have the knowledge you need before hand. |
" I rescued my Chinchilla from this Chinchilla rescue! ".. Wait, what?
One of the very first things I want to tackle is the biggest pet peeve rescuers have. These people get surrender after surrender, or go out of their way to collect animals desperately in need of rescue intervention from their at home situation. They pour the blood, sweat and tears into their animals, and they provide all the medical funds, care, and supplies to take care of these animals. They rescued those animals. Then, at the facility or adoption day someone comes along and says "I want to rescue this animal" ...
When you adopt from a rescue, you are NOT rescuing that animal. That is a title so many people give themselves after they purchased or adopted from a rescue. Saying you rescued an animal from a animal rescue is insensitive to the hard working people who really did all the work to rescue that animal, and it implies that the rescue is not up to standards and doesn't properly care for the animals in their care.
What you do when you adopt from a rescue though is open some space for the next needy animal, so by adopting you are helping the next animal in a way. So next time, please don't imply that you rescued the animal you adopted. You adopted your pet, which is wonderful. You adopted a rescue animal and supported a rescue in their effort to do good deeds and help the animals who need our help.
When you adopt from a rescue, you are NOT rescuing that animal. That is a title so many people give themselves after they purchased or adopted from a rescue. Saying you rescued an animal from a animal rescue is insensitive to the hard working people who really did all the work to rescue that animal, and it implies that the rescue is not up to standards and doesn't properly care for the animals in their care.
What you do when you adopt from a rescue though is open some space for the next needy animal, so by adopting you are helping the next animal in a way. So next time, please don't imply that you rescued the animal you adopted. You adopted your pet, which is wonderful. You adopted a rescue animal and supported a rescue in their effort to do good deeds and help the animals who need our help.
What Goes into Rescuing ?
Tynamo, Surrendered to LLC, transferred to Aces Up Chinchillas. Tynamo was underweight, and passed away due to organ failure. He also had eye-related issues.
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Rescuing is a commitment. When you take in any animal, you make a commitment to provide them with all the care they need, and to do your best to give them a home or find a home that is capable of giving them what they need.
Do you have the space? Do you have the time? Do you have the resources? ....Do you have the heart? |
If you take in an animal you are accepting all responsibility for that animal. You assume the role of caretaker. That means any medical treatment they need becomes your responsibility. You can not assume that you can just drop off the animal at any rescue, because many rescues are full. You should ask though, exhaust all options, but ultimately, YOU chose to take them in , so YOU are responsible for their care.
A rescue animal needs to have space, more often or not they're scared, sometimes injured or sick, and even unsocialized. They need a cage and supplies of their own, and to be kept apart from the other animals in your care. This is a process called quarantine, and they should be in quarantine for at least 30 days. If you cannot provide adequate housing, or quarantine DO NOT take in a animal. This poses a potential health risk for your own pets, and their care and health should be your priority because you have a responsibility to them first.
A rescue animal needs to have space, more often or not they're scared, sometimes injured or sick, and even unsocialized. They need a cage and supplies of their own, and to be kept apart from the other animals in your care. This is a process called quarantine, and they should be in quarantine for at least 30 days. If you cannot provide adequate housing, or quarantine DO NOT take in a animal. This poses a potential health risk for your own pets, and their care and health should be your priority because you have a responsibility to them first.
More often than not animals are taken in or surrendered in mixed sex groups, meaning there is a real possibility that you will have a pregnant female on your hands.
A pregnant female chinchilla means more space, more supplies, more money, and more time. Not only will she require a quarantine period, but also be required to be held for a 111 day pregnancy watch. If she has babies ( without complications ) She will need your home for an additional 4 months for the kits to grow and be weaned. If there's a complication during delivery, an emergency c-section is roughly $1,000 USD and if she doesn't make it those kits will need round the clock care for 3 1/2 months. That means bottle feeding every 2 hours regardless of your schedule for 3 1/2 months . Can you honestly put 8 months aside to care for a pregnant female and her kits?
Moon, a very small and underweight female who was surrendered to LLC. Suspected pregnant.
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Only a few days later, Moon delivered 2 female kits in her foster home.
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One kit was underweight. They were cared for in the foster home and adopted out as a trio months later.
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When a animal comes to you sick or injured ...
Some animals in need of vet care can end up costing a lot of money that most people do not have on hand. The lucky ones just need a change in diet and some basic husbandry, others need medication and procedures that require a strict timeline for care. Not every illness or injury is visible, especially with chinchillas due to their plush fur and ability to hide injury/illness so well. Normally when you can visibly see any signs of injury or illness the animal is already giving up.
If you do not have a vet before hand, stop, a look for a exotic vet. You should have a vet's number on hand for your own pets, and most certainly have a vet's contact information when you take in a rescue.
Injured chins need modified cages to keep from causing more damage, and animals need pre and post op care for any procedure that will require that they stay with you for an extended period of time.
If you do not have a vet before hand, stop, a look for a exotic vet. You should have a vet's number on hand for your own pets, and most certainly have a vet's contact information when you take in a rescue.
Injured chins need modified cages to keep from causing more damage, and animals need pre and post op care for any procedure that will require that they stay with you for an extended period of time.
Penelope, Surrendered to LLC. Transferred to Aces Up Chinchillas. Stress induced fur chewer. Quarantine is up, and she's on a pregnancy watch. Soon available for adoption. - UPDATE: Phoebe has been adopted in Idaho!
UPDATE 1/15/2016 : Phoebes adoptive home has been great for her! She's regrown her coat and has stopped fur chewing entirely!
Other things to consider ...
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Many have the opinion that purchasing any animal, is not rescuing, regardless of the situation they are in. I do share that opinion. Sometimes a owner doesn't care about the state their pet is in, and they're only driven by money. Unfortunately there are people out there who breed animals and keep them in poor conditions, and then list them as "in need of rescue" with "adoption fees". They lie, claim they're just a pet, or tell you anything under the sun to make a sale. Really, they're just selling those animals. Once you pay them to "rescue" the animal , they just get the message that they can continue manipulating people into purchasing their stock. So I highly encourage anyone who sees a sick, injured, or poorly cared for animal up for sale to contact your local animal control and report the abuse. You may save that 1 animal when you purchase in situations like this, but you then encourage them to continue breeding, selling, and flipping animals to make money. They then do the same to animal, after animal. If nobody purchases from them, they'll eventually stop when they stop getting paid. We just have to be strong for the bigger picture. |
Buddy 1 year later
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With that being said, sometimes people realize too late that the pet they wanted isn't really the pet they should own. If you're this owner, I highly encourage you to seek out your local rescues and surrender your pet there. This will give you peace of mind, and will insure your pet goes into friendly arms. Email us for help. ( We are in CALIFORNIA ) My opinion about paying for a rescue changes when the animal is injured. I have bought a injured animal in the past because I felt so deeply for them. So, if you have the money and don't mind loosing it to save a life, do it. Do not do it if you cannot afford the after care though! There's nothing worse than making a bad situation even more complicated. |
In the end, some animals are beyond our care. Either they're to sick, or nothing can be done in our means to save them. That leaves us with the hard decisions. Do you have the heart to say goodbye after putting so much work into these animals? Rescuers have to understand this, and have to know that sometimes that's the only way to help.
