by Mary Lemons
Published in New Age Tribune April 2009

“You’ve rescued me. You’ve found me a loving adoptive home. Now what?

“I want to accept the love of my new parents, my human companions, but I am afraid I may disappoint them. Something may happen and they won’t want me any more.

“My friend is used to being on the streets all the time, faring for himself. Can he adjust to being inside part of the time? Can he be happy with less freedom?

“They want me to cuddle with them, but I am not accustomed to that closeness. Is it OK to let them love me? Do I deserve this wonderful family?

“Sure would like for you to rescue me all the way. . .rescue me from my fears, help me heal my past. Then I can really be free. . .free to love and be loved. Isn’t that what we all want?”

Rescuing and adopting animals is courageous loving work. Many animals are very grateful for those who take them from neglectful, abusive conditions. Often a person with an abusive past seeks counseling to help him deal with and move beyond his abuse. Animals need that help also.

We cannot take an animal out of an abusive home or a puppy mill or off the streets foraging for food to survive and expect him to miraculously wipe those memories from his mind and heart.

We must help our animals move beyond being victims. We can do this only when we stop seeing them as victims and stop labeling them as rescued or adopted. We need to change our perspective of them as well as help them heal their past.

In her workshop “Animal Rescue and Adoption: The Rest of the Story” animal communicator Mary Lemons shares ways to help animals heal emotionally so they can adjust easily to a new way of life. She helps rescuers and adoptive parents understand the emotions of animals and to communicate with them on a soul level.

Mary welcomes the opportunity to work with animal rescue and adoption organizations to broaden the scope of animal rescue, fostering, and adoption. For more information or to schedule a workshop or private session, please contact Mary at www.healingwholeself.net, marylemons777@gmail.com , or 704-422-4039.