For the month of February twelve (12) chinchillas were surrendered and a whopping twenty-one (21!) chinchillas were adopted. This was a record breaking month for adoptions. Our last high adoptions number was (only) 16 ;)
Special thanks to Jennifer who stepped up to help by taking in two of our more troubled chins who would otherwise stay un-adoptable.
It looks like our chinnie population is well under control but we still have many, many fuzzbutts who are waiting for a permanent home…*cough*. Ok, some are not so permanent.
We often receive questions about the reason why people surrender their chins. Most of the reasons encompass one of 8 basic responses;
- allergies
- moving
- loss of interest
- change in lifestyle
- fear for the chin’s safety with dog/cat/children
- too much mess/care
- can no longer afford
- Just plain incompatibility
All reasons for surrender are valid. We do not (typically) judge or condemn. We are here to serve the animals who need a home as well as the owners who have to make the difficult decision to give up the animal. The only time Whimsy has serious issues are when the chins come in obviously poor or neglectful condition or when a parent is attempting to “teach their child a lesson” by getting rid of a beloved pet.
As a psychology major, Whimsy recognizes this method of parenting never works. Not only will it breed contempt of the child for the parent, but neither does it guide the youngster in the responsibility of taking care of a living being. It is the parent’s duty to teach their progeny how to follow through on commitments. How can that be accomplished when the animal is disposed of like an unwanted toy? Perhaps this same dumping mindset is what has helped contribute to the rise in divorce, or vice versa.
Selah.
