Cruelty can cause depression when it should inspire anger

Day after day I read headlines about animals. I, like so many others in animal rescue like nice headlines. 40 Animals adopted at event makes me smile. Owner gives dog LSD really makes me angry. The problem with reading headlines every day is there seems to be a glut of sad stories and not a lot of positive ones.

The key is to not get depressed about what has already happened but use the feelings you have and get angry. Anger can create passion and passion is what is needed with animal people.

Now, just because I say this doesn't mean I find this easy to do. Sometimes the headlines just overwhelm me and I wonder what on earth these people are thinking when they commit an act of cruelty. Or maybe that is the answer. They are not thinking.

So I get angry and try harder to educate. I get angry and try to speak to more and more people about the positive points of adopting a pet, after they are educated. I ask people to think before they adopt. Research the breed they are adopting and don't always fall for a pretty face or a sob story about the animal's previous life. Many animals who come from a sad place may not fit into your household at all. Please make sure.

Are you active or not? Don't get a couch potato dog and expect them to jog with you each day. If you never leave the couch, think about an older dog who doesn't need as much activity. There are thousands of needy pets in shelters throughout the United States who are available and would love to go home with you. What they don't need is a selfish owner who will end up discarding them when the new wears off. If they are lucky, they will be returned to a shelter. If not, they could end up dead, like Oscar in this story.