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Fostering Love

Tomorrow I become a new foster mom!  Before those who know me even start to raise an eyebrow, it is a foster mom to a cute little Maltese/Yorkie cross.   His name, currently, is "Doggy".  

Two years ago around this time, I started to investigate adopting a dog. While the Youngest had been identified as having a dog and cat (and severe peanut allergy), I thought perhaps, he was now old enough to be able to manage having a low allergen/low shedding dog.  But I didn't want to offer a home and then find out that the allergies would be too much.

After filling out pages and pages of fostering forms for various organizations, I heard very little.  One organization actually turned me down for fostering a particular dog because he was quite overweight and needed to be walked 3 or 4 times a day, and I was working full time then.  As a result, I turned to an online ad service to search out dogs for private sale or adoption.

Discussions with the Spouse resulted in much skepticism and a laundry list of criteria:

no white dogs
no fluffy dogs
nothing tiny wee but not big--like 20 lbs
low shedding
not a puppy

(sigh)

So with that in mind, I was able to locate a 5 year old, female Scottie/Poo
that looked only Scottie but apparently was not much for shedding.  She was for sale from a woman who had given the dog to her father who was no longer able to look after her.  

We went and visited the dog and she was slow and quiet and seemed lovely. We paid for her and took her home.  Of course, I was the one that wanted a dog and she bonded with The Spouse.  Less than a year later, we adopted Sadie, our Shiz-Poo from the pound (it is amazing how people will adopt a dog to you from a shelter if you already have one....so much easier!) who loves me and is my constant shadow!  

Now, I can't imagine our lives without them! They bring such joy! (even when Sadie climbs on my back at 5:45 AM and lays there, snuffling in my ear, wagging her tail hard against my behind, wanting breakfast.  I hear the "tic-tak" of London's toes on her way to my room and I know it is time to get up before I get mobbed!

So I was surprised to get a call from one of the rescue organizations yesterday about fostering!  The organization is called SOS Quebec Ontario Dog Rescue, a volunteer led organization that works with a pound in northern Quebec who receives a lot of puppies and dogs from surrounding farm land.  

They are not funded and don't seek donations. They are just looking to help out and bring dogs to the Toronto area where they have a better chance at finding loving, forever homes.  

I would encourage anyone who has space in their heart and their home to consider fostering (or adoption!)  The love you give will be returned a million times over and you will discover parts of your heart you never knew you had!

xoxo


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