<![CDATA[LYNDAJWATSON - Lynda J Watson Blog]]>

Miriam Webster defines rescue as: to free from confinement, danger, or evil. A verb. Of course, it can be used as a noun in terms of the act of rescuing, i.e. a rescue mission from a forest fire.

But when did the word rescue become a label for an animal? Hi, my dog or horse (etc.) is a rescue. Hmmm, they might have been rescued from a dire situation. But, why do we continue to consider them a victim that we saved? Don’t get me wrong here and I imagine some are thinking it at the moment. I am not saying there are not dire situations that are created by some very unsavoury folks. I am talking about what happens after, when the animal finds a soft landing and a happy home.

Would we use that label for a child? No.
Hi, meet my adopted child, they’re a rescue.
Never!

But we feel the need to offer that label to our four-legged family members. In fact, it seems the label, rescue, has become a buzzword. And the whereabouts of they were rescued from. Mine was rescued from the streets of this country, the fields of that country or wherever that place might be. Often said with a certain air about it.

We humans work hard not to be our past. To release the chains of situations that have affected us in far from positive ways. We live in a world where many advocate for the emotional rights of animals with some countries recognizing them officially as sentient beings. How can we, when we keep using a word that states the animal is/was a victim? Humanity has come a long way in describing a situation they might be in. A human might have housing challenges instead of being homeless. Always putting the human first. Let us put the animal first as well.

Perhaps we put the dog, horse, cat, etc first. Fido was living in a precarious situation but is now safe and healthy. Not, Fido is a rescue.

Perhaps it starts with questions we ask other animal stewards: What’s their name? What’s the thing you like the most about them? What are their favourite treats? And so on.

Perhaps we start asking each other new questions. What’s your favourite thing to do? What makes you happy? And so on. Not, what do you do for a living?

Imagine if humans asked each other the same questions we ask about our animals? Some might be considered very unethical.

I'm not concerned as to where your four-legged family member is from or what breed they are. I care that they are happy, and loved and that you are happy and love being their human. I’m not perfect and often get caught up in the ‘rescue’ conversation. But I am trying to change the dialogue.

Let us loose the label and ask different questions?
#loosethelabel