It is inevitable. At one point in time in your rescue life, you will meet someone who thinks you shouldn’t be working to save animals, but should be helping ________. This person will be rude, obnoxious, and probably try your patience. Are you ready to deal with that person in a respectful way?

Some people like to bring up the fact that we should all be helping the starving and abused children of the world instead of animals. Well, generally, these people who are acting nasty to you aren’t helping either of these causes! If they were helping the children, then they’d understand the rescuer’s “call” to help the animals, since both kids and animals can barely speak for themselves or defend themselves.

Regardless, the people who are most opinionated and vocal on the issue are not helping anyone… they don’t give money to help starving kids in Africa or in their own town, they don’t donate to causes they deem worthy… they just like to complain, and you happened to be standing there.

Here are some mini-scripts/ talking points that might work the next time you are approached by a nasty person…

* Just smile, thank them for talking with you today, because it gives you the chance to better understand how a few others might feel. You can also note that the majority of the people your group has spoken to has spoken words of encouragement, but this opportunity allows you the chance to help change someone’s mind about your cause.

* Ask them what charity they are currently supporting. Congratulate them for doing their part, if they can actually come up with one off the top of their head. State that you and your group are trying to make a difference in this world, and helping the animals is something not as many people seem to be passionate about. There are dozens of groups currently helping homeless people get back on their feet, giving school supplies to children whose parents can’t afford them, feeding the hungry, but there are so very few who help animals. You can list a few groups locally that help humans or children specifically, such as Salvation Army, Goodwill, domestic abuse shelters, Boys and Girls Clubs, back to school programs…

* If they bring up religion, you can bring up Noah saving all the animals, or the notion that only Adam and Eve were ever thrown out of paradise… and that animals were still very much in God’s favor. Just the fact that so many religious figures hold animals up in such high regard should remind people that they are completely in God’s favor! St. Francis became a saint due to his work with caring for the animals. “A righteous man respects the life of his animals” Proverbs 12:10

* Here’s a great quote that speaks about doing what you care about… “Do not ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Harold Thurman Whitman

* Here’s a quote attributed to St. Francis that speaks about those who feel we should not be helping animals at all:
“If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men”
~ St. Francis of Assisi

* Another amazing quote– “I’m sometimes asked, ‘Why do you spend so much of your time and money talking about kindness to animals when there is so much cruelty to men?’ I answer, ‘I am working at the roots.’ ”
~ George T. Angell, reformer (1823-1909)

Generally speaking, we all have a place in this world, and rescuing is the path you feel called to support. Congratulations!