Monday, May 11, 2009

Good News, Bad News

First the good news - it was a very good week for dog adoptions. Angie already posted the results, but I thought I'd share some more info on the dogs since for once I know all of them!

Bojangles is a cute little Shih tzu that we got from a puppy mill after they were done breeding him. He is like a little stuffed animal - every time I've seen him, he just kind of sits there and looks adorable. I am glad he has a new family that can continue to teach him how to be a normal dog.

JoJo is a lab mix puppy that went home during the week. She'll eventually be a big black dog so she's lucky to get adopted out now as a cute little puppy!

Quincy is a beagle who went home with a family member of one of our volunteers. This means we'll get to continue to hear updates on him in the future! He has a new beagle playmate and I've seen pictures - he's already being spoiled by his new mom and dad.

Casey is a cocker spaniel who is always so happy and outgoing. He had surgery to repair an eye problem, and in spite of the surgery and the pain he must have been in, he's always been friendly and eager to play.

Humphrey is a puppy who came in as a stray with his brother Bogart. We were hoping they'd both be adopted, because they're getting really big and this was a great week for them at PetSmart since they didn't have any younger puppies to compete with. Bogart is still waiting, but we're very happy that Humphrey has his own new home now.

Liam is a friendly, young dog who loves to play. He went home with a young couple who already had another dog, so Liam will have another dog and his own people to play with.

Renny is a Great Pyr/Golden mix - a huge, friendly dog with a giant head. :-) He went home with a family who has adopted from Heartland before.

Paco is an older Greyhound/Collie mix adopted earlier in the week. His foster mom reports that he is doing great in his new home so far!

As for my fosters, the kittens have coccidia so they couldn't go to PetSmart, and Emma has giardia, so she couldn't go either. I also have to have Noelle tested for giardia before she can go, so none of my fosters made it to PetSmart this week.
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The bad news is personal, but since it has to do with fostering, I'm sharing it here. I have a next door neighbor who does not like dogs, and she is enforcing the subdivision rule of only two dogs per household, which means I can only keep one foster dog at a time (in addition to Remi, my own dog). I can't imagine not being able to save more dogs who need me. How many dogs will die that I could have otherwise saved? I had to take Dash back to our shelter, and may have to take back Emma soon as well. Noelle has been with us for seven months, and she would do the worst in a shelter situation, so she'll be our second dog until she gets adopted. This situation has me so depressed. My husband refuses to move, and I have exhausted all other options to have more than two dogs. I am trying to make the best of it, but fostering dogs is what I love. It's one thing to say no to a dog who needs me when I don't have the room or the time or the ability to give them the care and attention they need. But when I do have room and time, and the only thing I want is to save them, how am I going to be able to say no? It's killing me.... and it's killing them. I think most of you read Angie's blog, where she posted this link, but if you don't - read this: http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/saying-goodbye.html. I don't want to mourn them, I want to save them!!

5 comments:

JulieB said...

Oh Laurie, that's terrible, I'm so sorry! It's so frustrating that people don't understand or even take the time to try to understand why fostering is so important. I'm not sure how a couple of extra dogs in your house has any kind of impact on her... It's so disappointing that people can be that way. Hang in there and just keep doing what you can do, which I can personally say is still quite a lot!

Anonymous said...

Laurie, can't you send Remi over to the neighbors house to negotiate with her? Doesn't she realize she's keeping Remi's friends from spending the night? Seriously, I'm sorry that it worked out this way for you:-( Why can't people understand that these dogs need help to survive...... Maybe after a few months you can slowly start sneaking an extra one here or there. Oh, I know a guy whose wife sews clothes for dogs, maybe she can make a costume that you can put on each dog when you take it outside and the neighbor will think it's the same dog over and over. Kevin K.

Anonymous said...

Shame on your neighbor!!!! That makes me sad to think Dash had to go back. I hope he is doing ok. We really miss him and I pray that he finds a good home soon. I am so sad for him. He is such a good dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Natalie S

Dog Foster Mom said...

Thanks for the support! Kevin, I love the idea of the costume. :-)

Angie Tollefson said...

I know people who do breed specific rescue so that all the dogs look the same and the neighbors don't realize how many there are! Not that I'm suggesting being dishonest!