Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Casey





April 28 - May 14, 2009

I'm going to post about our current foster, then update it when they get transported or adopted. That way, you can see who we have right now. :D

If you are interested in adopting Casey, please contact me!!

We brought Casey home from the shelter yesterday. He'd been there for quite awhile.
He is an odd looking dog.. a jumble of several different breeds. Any guesses as to what he is would be appreciated! He is not small, about 40 pounds right now, and only 6 months old.
His back legs look like a German Shepherd, but his face is somewhat Terrier.
His tail is SO unique. It is really long, and hangs down, but curls in a spiral at the end. When he wags his tail, only the spiral goes back and forth and curls around and around. It is so funny!

ADDED: after doing some research, I would say that Casey definitely has some Smooth Fox Terrier in him!

He is SUPER shy and timid. He plays with Troy, but is scared of our dogs.
We are working on that.

He is really really sweet, and just yearns for any attention he can get. He got a bath yesterday, and a good brushing, and his fur is SO soft.

I'll update this with more pictures and more stories as I time goes. :D

5-3-09
Casey is very sick. Right now he's getting pedialyte every hour and some great homeopathic remedies that may help as well. Please keep him in your prayers. He'll see Doc in the morning ... keep all your fingers crossed that whatever he has is fixable.

5-5-09
Casey is feeling much better! YAY. He's back to himself this morning, stealing socks and bounding around. :D

5-14-09
Casey moved to a long-term foster home where he'll stay till he is adopted. I will miss him.. he was such a love bug! He gave great lurpy hugs. LOL.

6-16-09
Casey was accepted at HWAC today! I was so happy that I cried! He deserves it, and I hope that they find him a fantastic home where he will get all the love that he needs.



Troy


April 23-May 15
2009

We brought Troy home from the shelter. We still had Riley when we brought Troy home, and Troy ADORED Riley.
The kids just love him, it's fun to have a little puppy in the house. He's only 12 weeks old, and just full of fun and energy.

He has the sweetest little personality, and the cutest face.

Troy was with us for only 6 days, and was taken to HWAC in CA. They will find him a fantastic home!

ADDED: Troy wasn't accepted at HWAC because they said he may have kennel cough. So he'll be coming back to us tomorrow! Bummer that he didn't get accepted, but Yay that we get him back! The kids are excited about that, LOL!. :D

5-15-09
Troy was adopted! He went to a fantastic family. The kids there just adore him, and he will have a great life with them.

9-16-09

Wade and I went to visit Troy today. Oh my gosh, he is such a gorgeous dog! I couldn't believe how much he had grown. He remembered us, and it was so great to just love on him and pet him for a little while.
*sniff* I might admit to getting a little bit teary.




Sunday, April 26, 2009

An inside look at fostering

Quoted from "Fostering a Rescue Dog" by M. Shirley Chong

"Like any foster parent, you have a special task ahead of you. You have to guide, teach, help and love this refugee, without becoming this dog's one-and-only person.
You have to be ready to spend time and energy and love on this dog, and yet be able to give it up when the right family comes along.

If everything works out right, someday not too far in the future, there'll be a lump in your throat and tears in your eyes as you watch your foster dog eagerly leave your home and loving care for a new life with a new family."


And it is SO worth it.

Darlin


April 15- 19 2009

The 15th was the last day at the shelter for several dogs. We went to go get one, even though we still had Riley. I just couldn't sit by knowing that there were dogs that were going to be put down, and not do anything about it.

When we got to the shelter, they had already put down several of the older/harder to adopt dogs. :( As badly as I wanted to save them all, it just wasn't possible.
I kept repeating the starfish story in my head, and trying to hold back the tears.

We took home a gorgeous little girl, a lab/spaniel/collie mix about 9 months old.
She didn't have a name, but I was calling her Darlin when we took her into the vet, and that's what they wrote on her records, so it stuck.

Darlin was just the calmest, sweetest little thing. She would sit back and quietly watch the other 3 dogs go nuts, LOL.
She was SO smart. She wasn't housebroken when we brought her home, but she picked it up in the first day.

We took her to the Adopt-a-thon with Riley. She had several people look at her, and who were interested, but she came home with us. That Sunday though, a family called us who had seen her that Saturday, and wanted to adopt her.
We took her to their house, and they kept her for one night and were totally in love.
That family was perfect for her, and I am so happy that they found her. They renamed her Harley and said that she is doing really well there, and is happy!


Riley


April 7- 25 2009

We picked Riley up at the shelter the same day that David took Hope back to his house. He was a 9 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback, but lacking a ridge. ;)

He was a total character. Very energetic, well behaved, and so so sweet. A total lovebug.

He got along really well with the girls, and seemed to be drawn to Ginger even more than Amikah, which was funny to us. The fosters usually keep their distance from Ginger for the first little while.

He was such a great dog. Totally awesome. I loved this boy.
He slept on his bed right next to me on the floor. . He's got such an awesome personality.

He got pretty attached to us. We had him for a long time for a foster. He went to the Way of the Cross walk with me on Good Friday and was so great.
We took him to the Adopt-a-thon at Petco as well, and he did so well there, but still came home with us. There were so many people who were interested in him, but no one took him home.

He was scheduled to go to a RR rescue at the end of the month, but we had a couple call on him and was interested in adopting him.
We took him to their house, and he just fit right in like he was meant to be there.
They had an elderly Australian Shepherd, and a 10 month old Golden Retriever.
By the time we left their house, Riley and Bitts were playing like they had been friends forever.
It was SO hard to say goodbye to Riley. He had become a part of our family in those last few weeks. I will miss him terribly, but I am so glad that he went to a family who will love him and where he will be happy.

Hope



April 7-8 2009

We had gone to the shelter to pick up a little Vizsla pup, but she had already been adopted. While there, we looked around at the other dogs, and we saw Hope.
She was in one of the outdoor kennels, and had just been brought in by a couple who had found her sleeping by a dumpster. She was so emaciated when they found her that she couldn't even walk.

She was in the worst condition that I've ever seen a dog. So skinny, and her nails were so long that she was almost walking sideways on her feet. She had some major battle scars on her face too. She'd been on the streets for awhile.

I cried all the way home, and for the whole day after that everytime I thought of her, I'd start crying again. All I could think of was getting her and helping her.

We couldn't take her for the weekend because we had Solo, but another foster family saw her and took her out of the shelter for the weekend. We picked her up from them on Tuesday after we took Solo home.

She was quite growly when we brought her in, and very scared. I kept her on a leash and walked her around the yard so she could get used to the girls, and they her.
Ginger was smelling her, and she was smelling Ginger, and they obviously didn't hit it off.. she dove into Ginger and went into full attack mode. The leash broke, and it took me about 10 minutes to get her and Ginger off each other. I got pretty bruised up in the meantime too.

I finally got a hold of her, and got her in the kennel. I was in tears, and when I calmed down, I checked her over and looked over Ginger also, and aside from a few scratches, they both seemed to be ok.

I called Lorraine and told her that it wasn't going to work out, and she said that the foster family that had her for the weekend would take her back.
She spent the night at our house, in the kennel, and David picked her up the next morning.

I really wish that it had worked out with her. I had such high hopes, and I was devastated that it didn't work out.

She is doing FANTASTIC with David and his family, and they are working with her on socializing her.
She is set to go to an English Pointer rescue sometime this month, and will hopefully flourish there to the point where she'll be able to be adopted by a family where she will be loved.

ADDED 5-2-09
We saw Hope today! Her name is Rosie now, and she looks AWESOME. She is still with David's family and it was so incredible to see how great she is doing with the love and care that they are giving her!

Solo


April 3- April 6 2009

Solo was a short stay. He was taken out of the shelter on Friday, and sent to Doc's to be neutered. There was a gentleman interested in adopting him, but he wouldn't be able to pick him up till Monday. So we picked him up at Doc's and kept him for the weekend.

Solo was a gorgeous dog, and very sweet tempered. A little shaky when we first brought him home because of being neutered. He got along with the girls ok too. He didn't realize that he had been decaffeinated though, and kept trying to make espresso, LOL! He had been used as a breeding dog before being taken to the shelter, so it was habit for him, I'm sure.

He wasn't housebroken, and lifted his leg to pee, so it was a challenge to keep him in the house. We had been wanting to build an outdoor kennel, and this was the perfect opportunity. We had it built by Sunday so that we could put him in it while we were at church.

We took him to meet his new owner on Monday afternoon, and he went to his new home!

Dude


March 16- April 1 2009

We went and picked up Dude at the shelter the day we got back from our Oregon trip. He was the sweetest thing! And such a beautiful dog!

Dude was part of our family for just over 2 weeks, and one that almost got to stay in our family. My mom adored him, and my sister considered adopting him, but that didn't work out.

Dude was sweet, cuddly, adorable, soft, loving... I could go on and on. Just a GREAT dog.

His card at the shelter said "Do not Touch!". We still can't figure out why. He was so sweet. he had some puppy energy that may have been interpreted as meanness I guess.
I'm so glad that he got the chance to come home with us. He was an awesome incredible dog.

He went to HWAC and was with them only 2 days before he was adopted "by a wonderful, active couple who plan on taking him everywhere with them.".
I am so happy for him, and hope that he has a wonderful life.. he deserves it!

Prince


March 4-10 2009

I fell in love with Prince. He was the first dog that we took directly from the shelter. I saw him on petfinder, and called Lorraine immediately to ask if we could go get him.

He was a young Weimaraner, only about 6 months old. It took him a little while to feel comfortable in the house with the girls, but after a day or so, he was like one of the family.

We didn't have Prince for long - I would have loved to keep him for longer. The Weimaraner rescue in Las Vegas took him and placed him in foster care there.

They took him in just before Wade and I went to Oregon.

I cried all day the day that Prince left. I really did love this dog. I think he was the first one where I let my guard down and REALLY loved him. So it was hard to let him go.

I hope he is placed with a fantastic family. He deserves it.

Shawnee


Feb 24-Mar 3 2009

Shawnee came to us as a temporary stay until there was room for her in Apple Valley (PAWS rescue home).

She was sweet and loveable, but VERY hyper and energetic. There were times that I watched her running circles in the house and I was just amazed that she survived in the shelter staying in that tiny little kennel.

She was really interested in the cats, and spent quite a bit of time barking at them, but she didn't hurt them at all. And the boys weren't amused. LOL

I don't remember how old she was, but she acted very puppyish. Loved to play. And WOW could she run! She loved the lake and went crazy running back and forth with our girls.

Shawnee was a tough foster, a little too high strung for us, but she was an adventure, and we loved having her here.

She went to Apple Valley and has since been adopted. I hope that the people who adopted her have lots of room for her to run!

Maggie


Jan 2009

Maggie was on the same transport to HWAC that Maybelle was, but Maggie didn't get accepted. They said that she 'walked funny, and may have hip problems'.
They called us, and we went and picked her up that night when the transport got back to St George.

Maggie was an amazing dog. We called her Saggy Maggie, as it hadn't been too long since she'd weaned her puppies, and she was still a little saggy. LOL

We loved Maggie right from the start. She was gorgeous, and loving, and sweet. She and Ginger had a little bit of trouble hitting it off, I think because they were both older females, but they worked it out in good time.

I shared so many stories of Maggie and her pictures with my friends on POTN (Photography on the Net), that my friend Chris, from Oregon, decided that he wanted to adopt her.
He went trough all the necessary channels, and when it was final, we drove to Twin Falls Idaho to meet him halfway and take Maggie to him.

I can't even begin to describe how happy I am that Maggie and Chris are together. I often say that HWAC didn't reject her because of her walk, they rejected her because she belonged with Chris. ;)

Because she is with Chris, we get to hear stories, and see photos of her all the time. We even get to see her when we go to Oregon and visit. She has the most amazing life with him.

June 12-2009
I have an update!. My family just went on our vacation to Oregon for 10 days. We got to spend several of those days with Chris and Maggie. It was SO good to see her again! She looks fantastic! We spent a lot of time at the coast, and she taught our Amikah the ins and outs of fetching the tennis ball in the ocean. They had so much fun (as did we, watching them!).





New photo of Maggie taken by Lisa Campbell. 10-09



Friday, April 24, 2009

Maybelle


January 2009.
Maybelle was a very short term. She needed to stay with us for one day and one night... between the shelter and her transport to California.

We got a call asking if we could keep one dog at our house for just the one night, and that there were 3 or 4 that needed a place so we could come pick one.
We went to Doc's and walked to the back where there were a few dogs waiting.

Maybelle was the one that was jumping straight up and down in her kennel, practically begging us to take her home. How could we say no?

We brought her home, bathed her, gave her some good food and lots of attention.

The next morning she went to CA and was accepted at HWAC.

I haven't heard anything about her since, and hope that she has gone to a good loving home.

Chester



November 2008
Chester was our first.

He came to us right from the shelter, and had been dubbed 'Cartright' by the shelter folks.
We brought him home before the kids got home from school, and when they got home and saw him, of course, they were excited, and fawned all over him.

Marian kept quoting the movie "The Kid" and saying "We have a dog? We have a dog! What's his name? Chester!"
It stuck. LOL. He was Chester from the first day.
His last day with us, we watched the movie "The Kid" while Chester slept on Marian's legs. Towards the end of the movie when that line came in, he perked up his ears and cocked his head, like he was thinking "hey! I've heard that somewhere before!"

He was a sweet thing, and the beginning of something wonderful.

He was transported to Helen Woodward in California, and was adopted by a wonderful family the very next day.

The meaning behind the 'Starfish' title.

As was bound to happen, there have been several times when I come home from the shelter in tears. I want desperately to save all the dogs there, but know that I can't. It can be hard to concentrate on the good, when faced with so much of the bad.

Several years ago I had read the Starfish story. I was reminded of it when I started working with these dogs. It fits perfectly with what I do, and what any rescue group does. I repeat this story to myself over and over. It helps me through the rough times.

The Starfish Story
adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)



Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!"



How it all started

Our Daughter, Marian, had to do community service hours for one of her classes in school. At that time, she was going to go into veterinary medicine. So, she wanted to do her community service hours being with animals.
She volunteered for PAWS (Providing Animals With Support) here in our city. She helped them with adopt-a-thons and whatever they needed till she got her hours that she needed.

She remained on their E-mailing list, which, coincidentally, was MY E-mail address.

One day, I got an E-mail asking for short term foster care for a few dogs. One of them was an adorable 4-5 month old black lab.

I had never considered fostering before. I assumed that I would get too attached to the dogs, and wouldn't want to give them up.

But I thought it might be fun to have a lab puppy at the house, And it was only for about 5 days. I asked Wade and he said, yeah, it sounded like fun. Go for it.

The rest is history. I absolutely LOVE fostering these dogs. Taking them from the shelter, some of them on their last day, bringing them into our home and giving them the love that they need and deserve. Helping them get ready to meet prospective families.
I feel like this was something I was meant for. I can't imagine not having a foster or 2 in our home now. It would feel so empty.

A good friend of mine suggested that I start a blog, chronicling all my dogs, and their stories. I agreed that it would be a great idea, so here I am!
I've never blogged before, so I"ll learn as I go. :D