Invite people to learn through observation and volunteerism
I
read this MinnPost article (Joys and Tribulations of Doggies in the City), thought a couple vague thoughts in my head, and
promptly forgot about it. I didn't find the author to have much of a
purpose in her writing, and didn't find the article very compelling one
way or another.
This article hit some in my rescue family a
lot harder. Reading their words, I understand why they are emotional,
and angry. They deal with suffering on a daily basis, often caused by
carelessness, selfishness, and willful ignorance. It's hard to see the
good in people sometimes. I know this, because it happens to me too.
But in reading the responses, I worry that we missed an opportunity to
educate people. I can easily write off the author as a silly woman who
made her choice. If I attack her, I'm certainly not changing her choice.
But I have the opportunity to change future choices of those who read
the comments on her article, or engage in a similar discussion in
another forum.
Although some of my rescue folks saw "woman
unfit to own a dog" when they read the article, there are plenty of
less-in-the-know folks who will simply take her word for it that it was
needlessly difficult to adopt. We have the chance to encourage people to
do their own research, to invite them to check out our rescue of
choice, to get familiar with the how-and-why. But if we attack the
author... well, who do we really make look bad?
Most of you
advocate positive reinforcement for your dogs... and I know sometimes
you just want to slug someone, but it might be better to pretend they're
a dog. They don't know anything (I bet you can at least agree on that
point!), and to teach them they'll learn best if you show them the
light and give a little R+ to increase the frequency of the desirable
behavior.
After all, the more people we save, the more dogs we can save.
