Forever homes!

I hope you had a chance to look at the two pics I posted of tarheel and Brylan. I know what some might be thinking if you are reading this. Who are those dogs and what are they doing in my house??? I had been somewhat indirectly asked to help foster a dog last week and thought about it for a few days. should I foster? If I do, how will the dog get along with my three? What if I fall in love with the dog and then he gets his forever home. Well, these are questions I have to answer now. I took the leap. I called kelly at upstate animal rescue and volunteered to foster a male boxer. she had eight needing temporary homes. This group removes dogs from high kill shelters, places them in foster homes and then adopts them out through petfinder.org and petsmart. Anyway, I finally got the lady and agreed to meet her at the animal shelter. Oh no, I thought. here we go. the last time I went to the shelter Olive came home with me. I kept saying to myself, Patrice, this is going to help save A life. One life. Well, I brought Brylan home with me. He had been in the shelter for a month and if you have never been to an animal shelter it is really sad. I mean, really sad. I believe in love at first sight, at least with dogs. He was beautiful. My words were "oh my, I want him". I decided to walk him down to the play area and he immediately ran around. So happy to be out of his 4x4 cell. I asked that a female boxer come down and join us so I could see how he would do with a female dog. GREAT. they played so nice so I said I would foster brylan. I took him home thinking what have I done. Just keep telling yourself this is temporary. I am still telling myself that. the story really gets better. I go to work the next day and I had already tried to convince a co-worker to foster. She was hesitant since she already has two dogs but agreed on Wednesday to foster A dog, meaning one. So, wednesday afternoon we head to the shelter. I had one dog in mind for her that was desperate. He is a 5 month old corgi and had lived in the shelter for three months. How cruel. She took him out and decided that she would also take a 1 yr old labradoodle. needless to say they both went home that day to their new foster home. Well, as we were heading out the lady says let me show you a 5 lb dog that desperately needs a home to survive. ok, that is all you have to say to me. some would call me a sucker. I call it a heart for the innocent. this little chihuahua was shivering, scared, severely malnoursihed, and in need of meds. I felt compelled to take him. I mean who can leave something like that to die. Not me. So we load up. the labradoodle, the corgi, and the chihuahua. here we go. who would have thought that by my taking the leap that four dogs would get fostered in two days?? I decided to email a few folks and another friend agreed to foster a dog. I took her a boston terrier mix Thursday. He was so scared. he did not want to come out of his pen but little did he know he was going to a better place. I got him out and into the car and started on the trek to Pendleton. I delivered him and about an hour later afer returning to his new foster home he had really perked up. He was so happy!! Five dogs in three days. YEAH. Now we begin the journey for forever homes. Two people are already interested in my two foster kids and I will take tarheel tomorrow to be seen. With any luck he will get his Forever Home tomorrow. I will be so happy for him. A nice lady with a female boxer is looking at brylan. it will be hard to see him go. YES, I am attahed. I love that little boy. I fell in love at first sight and it brings tears to my eyes to think that he might soon be gone but then I look at my Chloe and think about the folks who rescued her and their unselfishness. You see if they had been selfish and kept Chloe for their own she would not have joined my little family. What a sense of security and love she brings. I cannot imagine my days without her or my other two. So I know that Brylan will bring that joy to someone as well. I have to be very unselfish and do my job as a foster mom. Loving these innocent, helpless victims of abuse, neglect, and man's disrespect for God's creatures into their forever home. These past three days have been eye opening for me. I cannot explain the emotions I have had for these two little fellows. I even thought about how I would like to give up teaching and pursue my dream of opening a resuce. Crazy right now but one day it will not be. If you are reading this and you or someone you know is considering getting a dog (or cat) PLEASE consider saving a life and adopting one from your local shelter. There are SO many homeless pets that just want a chance at life. Won't you give them that chance?