K
Katie
Guest
A Foster Story
My husband and I have been involved with St. Mary’s Animal Welfare League (SMAWL) for a few years. It all began when we lost our 8 year old boxer that we rescued from a home that wasn’t a good fit for her. The owner put her on the freebie area of somd.com and we called. The dog jumped out of his truck and ran towards me. She threw herself into my arms, and didn’t want to move. We looked at each other and said we will take her. He said good-bye to her and she didn’t want any part of him. We took her to the vet, and found out that she had tumors and it was going to be less than a year. We didn’t put her down at the time because her quality of life was very high. As time went on she started having more accidents, and getting sick. Then she stopped eating and drinking all together. It was time to bring her to the bridge at that point. The day I took her to be put down I was devastated. I had no idea of how she was treated before we took her in, but the last 6 months of her life she was treated like a complete princess. She taught our dog some manners, and played with him. Even at age 8, she would play like a puppy. So after we lost her, and got over the heartache of putting her down, we decided to be foster parents for SMAWL.
The fostering experience has been absolutely wonderful. We have had so many dogs come through our home that have been really scared at first, but when they go to a new home they are completely changed. I have a few dogs that stick in my memory the most for some of the personality characteristics and how loving they were. The first foster we had was named Gidget. She is a terrier mix that was up at Tri-county. She came to our house, and instantly bonded with our dog. They wrestled of course like all dogs do, but they were buds. She got crate trained in our house, and worked on the housetraining. When she got her bath she threw herself on the floor after the bath and had a full-out tantrum. It was hysterical to watch her have a tantrum, but she got her bath. The next bath went much smoother and she did as all dogs do and pouted. I guess she liked being stinky.
After Gidget went to her furever home after a while we got Skippy. Skippy was a very outgoing Jack Russell Terrier. He would run around the backyard, and jump over Tuggy’s back like it was nothing. In the morning the second he heard the water running for the shower he would do a flying leap and jump into the bathtub. He loved to be in the shower while you were. He and Tuggy would play until the both of them were exhausted and sleeping.
The third dog that I completely loved, and adored was my Hurricane Katrina foster dog Petey. He has been in his forever home just over a year now, and I still think about him. He was the type of dog that was just out there. He wanted to be loved so badly, and the tail never stopped. Him and Tug’s would play for hours, and would run around the backyard. When it was quiet time he would curl up in a ball right next to you and sleep. He started sleeping in the bed, and he would curl up next to our heads between us. My father came to visit and he fell in love with him. He always asked about him everyday, and still asks how Petey is doing. Petey is the dog that we wished he had adopted, but he got a furever home that loves him just as much as us. I see him now, and he remembers who I am. He will kiss me as always, and give all the love. He was a truly special dog that will hold a piece of me.
Being a dog foster parent takes a special person. We are there to love them, teach them, take care of them, and prepare them for a new family. The current dog I have right now is the momma and her puppies. She is very shy, and afraid of people. I am working with her, and today she made progress with my husband. She walked past him without cowering in fear. She is now eating dog food unlike before when she would just eat people food. It took a few weeks to get her to eat strictly dog food. When she sees me the tail doesn’t stop wagging, and she rolls over on her back for a belly scratch. The puppies keep life interesting to say the least. Leo is my little guy who was so very sick. I handfed him New Years weekend, and he now has a fat puppy belly, and loves to play. He and Tuggy adore each other, and Leo will bat his paws like a cat. I have no regrets every doing this, and the animals depend on people. Some of them have had lives that are just repulsive and makes your heart break.
So if you want to be a foster parent for a wonderful organization that has many dogs come through, let me know. I will get you the paperwork, and put you in contact with the right people. Take the first step, because it is completely worth it.
My husband and I have been involved with St. Mary’s Animal Welfare League (SMAWL) for a few years. It all began when we lost our 8 year old boxer that we rescued from a home that wasn’t a good fit for her. The owner put her on the freebie area of somd.com and we called. The dog jumped out of his truck and ran towards me. She threw herself into my arms, and didn’t want to move. We looked at each other and said we will take her. He said good-bye to her and she didn’t want any part of him. We took her to the vet, and found out that she had tumors and it was going to be less than a year. We didn’t put her down at the time because her quality of life was very high. As time went on she started having more accidents, and getting sick. Then she stopped eating and drinking all together. It was time to bring her to the bridge at that point. The day I took her to be put down I was devastated. I had no idea of how she was treated before we took her in, but the last 6 months of her life she was treated like a complete princess. She taught our dog some manners, and played with him. Even at age 8, she would play like a puppy. So after we lost her, and got over the heartache of putting her down, we decided to be foster parents for SMAWL.
The fostering experience has been absolutely wonderful. We have had so many dogs come through our home that have been really scared at first, but when they go to a new home they are completely changed. I have a few dogs that stick in my memory the most for some of the personality characteristics and how loving they were. The first foster we had was named Gidget. She is a terrier mix that was up at Tri-county. She came to our house, and instantly bonded with our dog. They wrestled of course like all dogs do, but they were buds. She got crate trained in our house, and worked on the housetraining. When she got her bath she threw herself on the floor after the bath and had a full-out tantrum. It was hysterical to watch her have a tantrum, but she got her bath. The next bath went much smoother and she did as all dogs do and pouted. I guess she liked being stinky.
After Gidget went to her furever home after a while we got Skippy. Skippy was a very outgoing Jack Russell Terrier. He would run around the backyard, and jump over Tuggy’s back like it was nothing. In the morning the second he heard the water running for the shower he would do a flying leap and jump into the bathtub. He loved to be in the shower while you were. He and Tuggy would play until the both of them were exhausted and sleeping.
The third dog that I completely loved, and adored was my Hurricane Katrina foster dog Petey. He has been in his forever home just over a year now, and I still think about him. He was the type of dog that was just out there. He wanted to be loved so badly, and the tail never stopped. Him and Tug’s would play for hours, and would run around the backyard. When it was quiet time he would curl up in a ball right next to you and sleep. He started sleeping in the bed, and he would curl up next to our heads between us. My father came to visit and he fell in love with him. He always asked about him everyday, and still asks how Petey is doing. Petey is the dog that we wished he had adopted, but he got a furever home that loves him just as much as us. I see him now, and he remembers who I am. He will kiss me as always, and give all the love. He was a truly special dog that will hold a piece of me.
Being a dog foster parent takes a special person. We are there to love them, teach them, take care of them, and prepare them for a new family. The current dog I have right now is the momma and her puppies. She is very shy, and afraid of people. I am working with her, and today she made progress with my husband. She walked past him without cowering in fear. She is now eating dog food unlike before when she would just eat people food. It took a few weeks to get her to eat strictly dog food. When she sees me the tail doesn’t stop wagging, and she rolls over on her back for a belly scratch. The puppies keep life interesting to say the least. Leo is my little guy who was so very sick. I handfed him New Years weekend, and he now has a fat puppy belly, and loves to play. He and Tuggy adore each other, and Leo will bat his paws like a cat. I have no regrets every doing this, and the animals depend on people. Some of them have had lives that are just repulsive and makes your heart break.
So if you want to be a foster parent for a wonderful organization that has many dogs come through, let me know. I will get you the paperwork, and put you in contact with the right people. Take the first step, because it is completely worth it.
) and are working on four more (with another one to us 
I haven't seen him in a few days, I thought maybe he went back home. He's now dining in my computer room.
