2. Write about the last lie you told.
When Sevanna the Greyhound was adopted I told my husband she would be the last one for awhile. That man loves me. He is not about that animal-loving life, but he knows I am and he allows them to take over our home for a bit even though they can be messy and loud and hairy and in the way.
I got a call from our local animal shelter…the same one we fostered all those kittens from and the same one that fostered Luna from…and they have an upcoming adoption event they needed help with. They were flying in rescue animals from all kinds of places and they needed people to foster them JUST until the adoption event. One month.
It was that phone call that turned me into a liar, because Sevanna was no more than three days out of the house before I went to retreive Levy the Rescue Puppy. Take a look:
(video here)
So Levy is here! He is so so cute and loving. He’s a little fearful and a lot curious. I would call him about 70% potty trained, but you need to be paying very close attention to him or that 30% will happen. He sleeps in a crate in Laina’s room because I don’t trust him one bit, but he spends all day every day near me while I work.
I think what I love most about puppies is that they really do make everyone laugh. Even though I am drawn to dogs that want to sleep a lot, my kids are drawn to playful dogs. They want to chase and be chased and throw balls and go crazy. So Levy has been a real hit with them.
I recommend fostering to everyone! If you’re thinking about getting a dog, but you’re not sure…FOSTER! If you’re curious about a certain breed, but you’re not sure…FOSTER! If you want a dog fix because you love dogs, but can’t commit to a full time pet…FOSTER! If you want to feel like a good person and you like animals…FOSTER! There are local rescue groups in your area for nearly every dog breed imaginable. Google them, tell them you’d like to foster. Or go to your local animal shelter. You will need to fill out a piece of paper with your info and they might need to do a home visit to make sure you have space for the dog, but after that you are all set. They provide the food, leashes and dog dishes. They pay for any necessary vet visits and even provide a crate for your foster to sleep in if needed. The transition with a new dog those first few days might be a little rough. They might pant or pace a lot as they get acclimated, but eventually they do fall into line and the longest I’ve ever fostered has been maybe 2-3 months. They get adopted pretty quickly!
As much as we have loved hosting LEvy, his time with us will come to an end this weekend. I’m assuming he is going to get scooped up right away at this event. It’s bittersweet, my least favorite part of fostering is no knowing that they will need to leave. For the most part I can really convince myself that the option to adopt is 100% not on the table and I’m just hosting a dog for another grateful family. The worst part is that initial handing over of the dog because I swear they look back at me like they don’t understand why they’re being handed over. They thought they were home with me. THAT IS THE WORST!
Levy will need to go through one more last transition and I will keep reminding myself that he will warm up to his new family just as quickly as he warmed up to us. And I will be juuuust fine and for sure we’ll take a fostering break. I mean it this time!
John Holton says
A friend of ours asked us if we would foster a cat just until she found her a forever home. Two days later we called her and said Molly had found a forever home, with us. That’s why we no longer foster any cats (or dogs, or birds, or gila monsters…): we’re retired, I’m disabled, and we’ve decided to get out of the business. Not that we aren’t tempted every time we see a cat needing a home on Facebook or Instagram, or hear about one from a friend. I’ve lost count, but there have been around 3 dozen over the years. I think we’ve done our part….
madamdreamweaver says
On the topic of dogs, particularly since your last foster was a Greyhound, you may know Florida has been, up to now, a Dog Racing state. But, good news–this election, Amendment 13 passed banning ALL Dog Racing in Florida beginning in 2020 forever. Tracks and owners have 1 year to adjust. So to everyone’s relief, Florida has finally joined the ranks of non dog-racing states.
Jennice says
I lost my cat 6 weeks ago and we used to refer to her as a dog trapped in a cat’s body. My daughter wants a new animal so we are thinking of trying a puppy. I’m not doing it anytime really soon,maybe a year down the line because I’m about to have a baby. I would love to foster a retriever puppy. Congrats on the new foster!