Sanctuary: "a place of safety"
Animal Sanctuary: "a place where animals are brought to live and be protected for life."
What distinguishes an animal sanctuary from other institutions is the philosophy of all who care for the animals act on behalf OF the animals with the firm belief that the animals come first and that all animals are of equal importance. At least, that is how it is at C & W's Rustic Hollow Shelter, Nashua, Iowa.
It is with sadness and anger when I read about failed sanctuaries who have warehoused animals for years, keeping them in cramped cages, with little or no interaction with people....or socialization....and often not much veterinary care. Sadness for the animals, and anger at the people who housed them so poorly.
Those 'sanctuaries' are NOT sanctuaries. They are hell holes that animals survive in til they die. Those are the sanctuaries that give the really good ones a "bad name" and all sanctuaries are lumped into being sad places for animals to live, even for a short time.
And it is with joy when I know of sanctuaries who truly are a 'place where animals are protected for life.." and where 'the animals DO come first." So, to all the doubters and unbelievers out there who view ALL sanctuaries as such a sad place for animals to live out their lives in.... open your minds and realize that sanctuaries truly CAN be one of the best places and the best life an animal has ever had or could have. Don't just take a one-sided view of that word "sanctuary," or 'animal sanctuary"...
From what our many rescue friends all across the nation tell us, C & W does live up to being one of the places where animals (and their human caregivers) ARE all of equal importance. And all get a great deal of loving attention over at least 8 hours of the day, and many more when volunteers visit and stay overnight or even several days to be with the felines that reside at Rustic Hollow.
I stand by my belief that the good sanctuaries provide a great quality of life and a real 'home' to felines who truly benefit from being there- truly a real 'forever home.' A 'forever home' they would not have had in many, many cases. Not a chance at one. C & W Rustic Hollow offers that 'chance at a lifetime' and we do not worry if the feline stays here forever and is not adopted. Many of the furs that come here have already been adopted out (sometimes twice), rejected and back in a rescue cage.
I find it interesting when someone says that you have to place ALL animals in 'forever homes' and NOT in a sanctuary where they will be left alone with little or no interaction. It makes me wonder if they have ever been to a reputable sanctuary ever? I counter their point with these thoughts:
I have observed the hours of interaction my staff and volunteers give to the felines that reside at Rustic Hollow.. and the hours that volunteers spend with them regularly. I see the love that is given all day and sometimes into the wee hours of the night to our C & W furs......
AND..... I wonder.... how many hours are spent with the 'family pet(s)' every day in homes across America? Dogs may get more attention, because, after all, you have to let them out to do their business frequently...Or did you chain them in the yard for that? But people get up, gather to eat breakfast, go to work, go to school, bowling in the evening, party for another member, everyone comes home tired, watch a little TV, go to bed......
Where's the fun for the family pet? If there time set aside for playing with your family dog or cat. What do THEY do all day while you are gone shopping, to work, to visit friends, go to exercise at the gym, etc.etc.etc.etc.........
I KNOW what they do at Rustic Hollow. They are pretty much 'kept awake' more than they would like, by a lot of activity, a lot of interaction, visitors, playtime, laser lights, oh, and the TV plays the Catsitter video DVD's with soft music for the TV buffs. They have their outdoor 'catios' to check out the 'real outdoor TV' of birds and people, and keep an eye on the three dogs too.
There have been MANY times when I take a late afternoon visitor on a tour just after their caregivers have gone home.....and only ONE or TWO will grudgingly get up to check out the visitors.... the rest open an eyelid decide that some of their buds will entertain, and go back to sleep. Of course, cats do sleep 16 hours a day. So perhaps they are NOT bored all day waiting for their 'people' to come home.
But I can tell you they are not bored at C & W Rustic Hollow Shelter. Their quality of life is very important. Our buildings are homey and some ARE actual HOMES.
And, Wanda and I are fortunate that some 25 felines let us live with them. Sound like a lot? the only time we see more than half at a time is at breakfast time and dinner time. Then it appears to be a lot. Three levels to be in, we can be here all day long and the majority of the cats are not at all interested in 'mingling' with us. As is true with many in the other five shelter homes the furs have here. The furs that come to live in our log home are the very senior cats, hospice furs, and those needing greater medical care.
So.....how can you judge that the animals are better off in a family home than a sanctuary? I say that that judgement might put a cat who is 'adoption challenged' at greater risk in a 'forever family home' and sometimes, with less activity and interaction with people. I say you can't truly judge.
And on the same line of thinking, if you only want them to go to a 'forever family' and they truly are 'adoption challenged.' it may become a death sentence even in a 'no kill' organization, since so many still say, 'we never kill any 'adoptable' animal.' You know what that means, I am certain.
No, you can't judge that a sanctuary is never a good place for an animal til you have seen how a reputable one operates from day to day. And see how the animals really feel about their 'forever home'.
Come visit the felines at Rustic Hollow and let them show you how they live each day....in between naps, ya know.
I also am very adamant that IF you are thinking of taking an animal to ANY life care facility or sanctuary, it is a MUST that you visit that facility yourself, spend time with the animals and see how they are cared for daily. See how they live from day to day. Visit more than once. It is truly important you know where your pet is going to live out his life if you can no longer care for that animal. Planning for your pets future is an important part of caring for your beloved companion animal, if something should happen to you. But please visit the places you see on the web that profess life care. If you cannot visit personally, have someone else visit. Get references, talk to their veterinarians........ This....Is....So.....Very..... Important. Just ask Mr. Thomas, who went to a Texas 'ranch retirement center' and when the horrid conditions were confronted at this ranch/farm, over 220 cats were removed by the Texas SPCA. Thomas' collar read 191, but we told him he is #1 with us. He was one of the lucky ones. His rescuer got him out and to Iowa. He arrived in 2003 I believe. He is 'adoption challenged' but loves his clean and neat home at C & W. Oh, did I mention we strive for a high standard of cleaning and keeping the felines living areas better than some homes. They appreciate their surroundings to be 'clean', their bedding soft and cuddly. It is a MUST.
Every animal IS adoptable to the right family. But that just doesn't happen for so many. Their chances grow slimmer each month....just ask a sweet little feline that lives at Rustic Hollow that lived 8 years in a cage. EIGHT YEARS! And I can name several others who grew up in and lived in a cage....at a RESCUE even. And little Red who lived in a tiny cage in a basement, stacked on top of another cage with another cat...used for breeding. Hey, the list is long here...every feline has a special story. Every feline has a 'forever home'. I have heard over and over people tell me that when they came to visit C & W for the first time, they were so sure they would 'feel sorry' for the animals. And, upon leaving are delighted to tell me that 'they would not feel sorry for ANY of the felines that get to live at C & W." That is certainly our goal too.
Come share their story....come visit the furs... at C & W's Rustic Hollow Shelter. I know of several other really great sanctuaries, too... some just for Feline Leukemia kits, who have a terrific home, and a chance at a lifetime too.
That is what it is all about at C & W..... a 'chance at a lifetime' for some really wonderful furs.
http://www.rustichollowshelter.org/.
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