What rescue animals need

Many humans have the idea that once the animal is rescued the animal is now fine. Rescue is an important breakthrough but is not the complete picture. Most especially if there is trauma (and usually there is in most rescue cases). When the animal is rescued it is only the beginning of their healing. Unfortunately, for some animals them being rescued brings another host of issues... Human expectation. Their new humans expect them to be able to perform "new jobs" or "roles". The idea is this will bring the animal healing but this is not the case. The animal has a nervous system and based on the species and particular circumstances the nervous system requires recalibration.

Rescue animals need at least these 5 things:-

1. Feeling of safety
The feeling of safety is not instantaneous because they have now been rescued or have come into a new home. The feeling of safety comes with sniffing the environment, the new people, new food, other animals and doing a territorial search. This is what animals do when they have healthy experiences. They use their bodies and all their senses to understand their environment. When animals are traumatized they are in the flight, fright, freeze or appease (overly pleasing) state. They will try and change their states and will be seen to lick, pant, shiver and other behaviors to compensate for their states of discomfort. A feeling of safety is cultivated. It doesn't just happen. A feeling of safety takes time. Give rescues time to seek their safety in you by not pushing them beyond their threshold. Give them space as they begin to smell your motives, state of being and sense their place in the human-animal world.

2. Adequate resources (food, water and shelter)
Good quality resources are important for a healthy nervous system. Understanding that quality water (not from the tap) is important due to all the impurities and contamination found in it. Also the idea that kibble food and canned food will provide all your animal companion needs is not accurate. These commercial, packaged products are laced with synthetic vitamins and minerals that are not as easy to absorb and the animals are eventually left with deficits. Additionally the quality of ingredients is not what you think. They are usually byproducts of the meat industry and a cooked melange of inedible products. A good whole food, raw diet is better for both canines and felines. The quality of this food is key to their thriving. It is my experience that those animals that have been through trauma and are in a rescue situation need more resources than a naturally healthy animal that has had a wholesome life. When you are stressed you will need more nutrients to compensate for this stress. It is the same for animals. As the animal begins to find safety this will slow down. This will also result in better digestion and the animal will be able to hold their weight more. Digestion is not only about food but also about experiences and emotions.

3. For humans to understand their behavior from the animals perspective
Animals do not have ulterior motives. I remember reading somewhere that someone stated they know animals lie. This is completely inaccurate. Animals do not have an ego at all. They do not lie or gossip. Animals are honest and animals show you exactly how they are feeling. Humans usually do not see or listen to these communications because humans are stuck in their heads and they use only the languaging of the mind. Also humans tend to project their ideas on to the animals in their care and use human feelings and thoughts to explain human behavior (anthropomorphism). While there are similarities animals do not have an ego and many of the things humans say about their animal's is not interpreted accurately. To be able to see from the animals perspective watch the animal without placing your ideas or thought upon them. You will begin to sense from the animal's perspective how they are experiencing life. 

4. Down Time/Processing time/Time to rebuild/Time to feel that things have changed 
Usually humans are super excited about their new animal companion. And this is of course part of the adoption process! You get all excited and you bring the animal companion home and then there are certain things that begin to show up as the months go by. This is normal with a rescue animal. It is normal for all animals but rescue animals need more time. They need time to understand their surroundings for safety as I said before. They need time to understand you. Your needs, your quirkiness, the other animals, the new tasting food. Everything is new and their senses are being bombarded. In a state of trauma or trauma recovery you can get overwhelmed very quickly. So do animals.

• Before you push them or expect them to act a certain way, press the pause button and notice where the animals threshold is
• Before you think on behalf of the animal, press the pause button and let the animal show you their internal reality/story. They so want you to love and understand them on their terms.
• The animal can begin to feel safe with you knowing that you are their go to person. 
• This creates alignment and attunement for you and the animal.

5. Time to connect to their new 'people' and other animals around them
Although this has been covered somewhat in the above points I want to address it separately. Animal introductions are not always easy. Most especially in felines. Often older felines who are not accustomed to colonies can find it difficult. Or their personalities just aren't about sharing their space with other feline friends.
I have a motto when it comes to introductions:-

"Expectations need to be low. Introductions need to be slow".

Oftentimes humans want these introductions to be very quick. They want the introductions to go perfectly. This is not the case most of the time. Animals have thresholds and they have dog and cat etiquette. 

Finally, expecting less is more. What I mean by this is that while we want the best for our animals sometimes we expect them to be more like us. And expect them to be quickly in tune with their environment and us. When a rescue animal has experienced abuse and pain they are very forgiving. They also have their thresholds.

Expect less and go slow.

Chiara gives a voice to the voiceless. She brings the internal realities of animals to life through her Nervous System to Nervous System (N2N) Connectivity™ process. She is unique and mixes science and intuition. She calls it a boundless science. A science that includes doing, being and has a method. 

Wild Voices Talk™ and Chiara are about you and your animals. Chiara provides unique services that bring a richness of connectivity between animals and their human counterparts. She provides a new perspective on animal minds, emotions and trauma with a view to supporting animals through their journeys with their humans. It is a Nervous System to Nervous System (N2N) Connectivity™.

​She creates the space for animals to find their voices in a human world. She creates a communicative meeting place between their consciousness and yours. 

​Disclaimer: Nothing on this website in any communicative form and relating to any and all communications either on this website, social media accounts or using any other technology constitutes giving advice, or a diagnosis or a cure or a prescription. The information on this website and any and all communications, verbally or by any other technological platform globally is provided for 'sharing' of resources only. Should you decide to use any such information you do so at your own risk and you hold Chiara Marrapodi totally harmless in any and all legal matters concerning your health and the health of their family and/or friends and/or colleagues who they may share the information with as well as all of their pets and/or livestock whom may practice the information upon. For all diagnosis, cure or prescription and any related information contact a qualified health professional at all times.
Chiara Marrapodi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. The Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or it's affiliates. This notice is provided as a form of transparency. Chiara Marrapodi does not endorse any products that are part of the affiliate program and by clicking on any links you are dealing directly with the advertised supplier. In so doing you hold Chiara Marrapodi totally harmless in the decisions and purchases you make.

---