11pm: Tuck foster dog (aka Munchkin – after 34 they’ve all become “Munchkin”) in on the couch and head off to bed.
2am: Wake up to “tap, tap, tap, tap” as Munchkin frantically searches the house for companionship. Tuck Munchkin back in and go back to bed.
4am: Wake to the smell of poop. POOP! Munchkin pooped in the kitchen, but that’s okay because we’re working on paper training with this one. She got the paper. Yay!
7:30am: Get out of bed for real. No mess on the floor, and Munchkin, who usually runs away from me and cowers in the corner, actually looks happy to see me. I feed her, and she’s even happier, though when I don’t have food in my hand she still runs away when I reach out to her.
9:30am: Take Munchkin and forever dog to the dog park. Munchkin paces the fence trying to get out. Forever dog runs around like a maniac. He used to be like Munchkin, but he’s come a long way.
11am: Get a call from Munchkin’s new family that they’re driving four hours to pick her up. Will I meet them two hours from my home with the munchkin?
11:01am: Agree to meet them.
11:02am: Remember that I have 50 other things to do that day.
11:03am: Screw it. I’ll meet them.
1:30pm: Hop in the car with my mom, forever dog, and Munchkin. The drive is uneventful but very gassy. Phew!
3pm: Arrive at the destination within one minute of the forever family coming to pick up the munchkin.
3:05pm: Feel convinced that this family is perfect for the munchkin (already did a virtual home visit a week earlier). It takes some very special people to take in a dog who has spent the last six year sitting in a cage making babies for pet shops. This dog is terrified of people, but I don’t blame her because someone cut half her ear off. She can’t be trained to potty outside yet because she’s too terrified to take even the slightest correction. These people get it. They show up with a brand new harness and leash like I asked, a sweater, and open arms. They are truly special, and I’m so happy for them that they get the privilege of accompanying Munchkin on her rehabilitation journey, receiving the gift of small, regular celebrations as the munchkin gains confidence and learns to accept love. Just wait till she learns to give love! These guys are so lucky. I wish I could keep her… Oh, right, if I kept her I wouldn’t get to meet the next one and receive my small celebrations anew.
3:30pm: Drive home without a touch of sadness. Another successful match.
5:10pm: The call I was waiting for just came. A new munchkin is on her way. We’ll get her posted to Petfinder.com once I have a chance to evaluate her. Sadly, the stream of dogs needing rehabilitation and homes is endless, but it will continue to flow through our home for as long as we are needed, and we will continue to wash soiled blankets, dry wet eyes, and smile ear to ear as these dogs fill our hearts with their tiny achievements: their first time passing through a doorway; their first time jumping into the car by themselves; their first time tossing a toy into the hot tub and then jumping in after it…uh, I mean, accepting a pat on the head. Ahh…life is good.
Kyla Duffy is a foster parent for MidAmerica Boston Terrier Rescue and Breeder Release Adoption Service. Her business, Happy Tails Books, collects stories from people who have fostered and adopted dogs and compiles them into books that inspire others to get involved in the fight against animal cruelty. Kyla recently founded Up For Pups, a non-profit approaching humane education through creativity. The first Up For Pups initiative, a stage show called Don’t Kill Bill, makes its debut in Boulder, CO on Feb. 12.
Thanks for posting! I hope some of your readers decide to give fostering a try. It is truly rewarding.
I have fostered for two Rescue organizations in my life. It is very rewarding for me to work with a dog and watch it blossom into a better, happier pet. The camaradarie of other pet fosters is enjoyable. In short, I recommend calling several Rescue organizations and seeing which one fits you best….and just do it!