I'm Not Trying To Be Modest, Just Speaking The Truth.

I posted this on facebook today (my personal and Dharma Dog page) and wanted it to be here. I feel pretty strong about the topic of rescuing an animal and being awarded with such a honorable title. I think being given the title of saving an animal from near death, is being watered down. This is what I had to say about it:

Almost every time I tell a person I adopted Baloo; they mention, in way or another, how I've rescued him. I appreciate the compliment, but in no way do I feel I "rescued" him and feel I should take no credit. I think its very egoistic to say or claim to have "rescued" an animal, one has adopted. This is excluding people, who have adopted an animal from a put-down shelter; because you actually did rescue an animal, who was on death road. 
The people who should be praised for rescuing Baloo and other animals in shelters, are the following:

• The person who found the animal, out on the streets or in the wilderness, wondering around aimlessly; without food or water, for who knows how long and taking them to a shelter.
• The shelter who took them in and gave them a roof over their head, food in the belly, and quenched their thirst; and kept them until they could find a forever home. This even includes shelters, who unfortunately have to put down animals do to lack of space. They do not enjoy this and shouldn't be seen as less human or less of an animal lover.
• The foster parents, who opened up their own home and took in the animal, until they could find a forever home.
• All volunteers, vets and trainers, who donate their time, in bettering the chance for the animal to find a forever home.
• Pet stores (like Denny's Pet World), who foster shelter cats and provided a better exposure to the public; so they can find a forever home.
• And for Baloo, Triple Crown Academy, for taking Baloo and all the other shelter dogs, into their training program. So they can go through the training process, to better their chance in finding a forever home.

If all the above people hadn't done all the above for Baloo (find him, take him to a shelter, and TCA taking him into the program); I wouldn't have met him and he wouldn't have been in my life today. So THANK YOU, to all these people, for doing what you did/do; your the true heroes.  You were the real rescuers and people need to be more aware of this.