Severely neglected or mistreated dogs may have suffered any number of abuses: constant physical restraint or confinement, lack of appropriate nourishment, endless environmental stressors, even outright physical punishment. Marybeth Bittel shares some of the challenges of preparing these animals for their new lives.
Source: Dogster, November 9, 2017.
Potential adopters may not always realize what a given pet has endure. The adorable face and tentatively wagging tail of a particular pooch may have benefited from specialized socialization training, or behavioral intervention. Sometimes, quite a bit takes place behind the scenes to give a deserving dog a second chance at a normal life.
Also see: If you can’t adopt…, Cesar’s Way, November 2017.
Not everybody can adopt every an unwanted dog at the local shelter. What you can do is foster dogs, especially if you can’t make a commitment for the dog’s lifetime. The immediate goal of foster programs is to get the dogs out of the shelters and in temporary homes, a benefit to both of them. Many shelters will foster out dogs for weekends or holidays (or on your schedule), mainly as a way to help the animals become socialized and allow their foster family to help train and rehabilitate them.