How Should You Treat An Abused Dog?

Animal abuse has always existed. Thanks to the internet and social networks, we are now aware of many more cases of abused or abandoned animals than in the past.

Our first reaction to this is to feel sorry for those creatures who have had an unfortunate existence. However, punishment is a useless feeling that does not help the animal in any way. In today’s article we offer you a reflection on how to treat an abused dog.

Punishment: a useless feeling

Emotions are involuntary and cannot be repressed. However, as human and rational beings we have the ability to change the way we think so as to change how we feel.

It is natural and normal to feel sorry for the wretched, especially when they are animals: defenseless beings who absolutely do not deserve all the evil that happens to them. Animals have always been victims of circumstances, and we humans can be very cruel.

However, we insist that punishment is a paralyzing feeling. By proving it we are not doing anything to change or prevent the suffering of an animal. Punishment is an emotion that pushes us to feel bad and nothing else. It is a completely useless feeling for those who ask for help.

It is also good to point out that punishment can turn into self-compassion, which will only harm the real victims, in these cases our dear animal friends.

How to treat an abused dog: what to feel about him?

It is possible to experience many other sensations besides pain. Any feelings that lead us to change the situation of an abused or abandoned animal will be much more helpful.

To reframe our feelings, we must first change the way we think. For example, instead of thinking “poor thing”, let’s try to formulate the following thought: “What can I do to protect those who are suffering?” or “What can I do to help him?”.

We transform the punishment into determination, only in this way we will do something really useful for an animal in concrete or in a similar situation. We will move from standing still to doing something productive for those who need it.

We can choose to help those who are taking care of the animal, protect another animal so that it does not suffer in the future or even take care of it and take care of it personally so that it never finds itself in a similar situation.

It is also possible to turn punishment into compassion, obtaining a result similar to that of determination: we will take a step forward and make ourselves useful or necessary. Compassion leads us to relieve suffering, it helps us to make ourselves responsible for changing a bad situation.

If we see a sick animal on the side of the road and feel sorry for it, we will sigh for it but continue straight ahead. Conversely, if we activate compassion at that moment, we will have the urge to take care of him, take him to a vet and reduce his suffering.

Thanks to determination, we will change the present and the future of that animal: first of all we will take care of it, then we will not stop until we have found a definitive family to take care of it for the rest of its life.

The passage from punishment to pride is short. Instead of complaining about all the harm that abandoned dog has been through, we will admire his resilience and feel proud that he has overcome such a difficult situation.

Because if there is a strong characteristic in dogs it is their tenacity, their will and the innate disposition to overcome problems. Pride helps us understand animals, especially dogs with this immense ability inherent in them.

As we have seen, dogs benefit far more from our pride than from our pain. From abused beings they will turn into survivors, into heroes capable of overcoming hell. We will increase our confidence in them and give them more self-confidence.

We do not look at it with pain

When we have an abused or abandoned dog in front of our eyes, we tend to feel the fear and anxiety that the animal feels. There are so many things we can do to help him overcome fear, but the least we have to do is not look at him with pain.

Our gaze of pain conveys concern and fear: if we, who are the dog’s main reference point, look at him with a worried look, we will transmit the same feeling to him. He will not be able to stop feeling fear. The way in which we will treat an abused dog will therefore be fundamental to its recovery.

On the contrary, by feeling proud that we have a survivor in front of us, we will better appreciate all his improvements, and he himself will feel proud and confident. The world will be deprived of all those worried looks that only transmit fear: we will accompany the animal and support it in the recovery phase.

Act on behalf of the abused

When we read news about animal abuse, we can do a lot of things that are not feeling sorry. We can help the people who picked up that abandoned animal by contributing to the payment of the vet or food.

We can also collaborate in finding a permanent adoptive family for when she gets well again. We can even become members of animal protection associations that deal with prevention and contribute to the reduction of cases of maltreatment.

We can also be the ones who report, collect and care for abused animals. Every single volunteer, every hand that helps in a kennel, is essential for the functioning of associations and shelters for dogs. With his help, he literally saves lives.

With the penalty we could not do any of this. Punishment paralyzes us and prevents us from acting, while an abused or abandoned dog needs someone to get started for him.