Meet Lucky!

Say hello to the newest foster pup, Lucky!

Lucky is the fifth foster that I've taken on and he is a big sweetheart! Jake, foster number four, was here for a couple if days and when he left I knew I wanted to get another puppy as soon as possible. Paws in the City was great about finding another foster pup and we're all looking forward to learn more about this little guy the longer we have him! Lucky is a great dog and he might be one of my favorite fosters we've had so far. He's incredibly sweet and loves to cuddle.

Foster number four is out there somewhere

At the beginning of June, Austin and I decided to foster our third dog with Paws in the City, Mack. While we thought he was going to be adopted after only a couple of days, he ended up staying with us for almost a month before he got adopted. It's been almost two weeks since Mack was adopted, and I've noticed that our home seems to be a bit empty (and I'm sure Sam is feeling a bit lonely). So, I've decided to get in touch with PITC to start looking for a third foster.

The funny thing is, I never thought that being a foster would be something I would want to do over a long period of time. I approached fostering as a chance to try to find a dog that would fit into my home, it was a way to see if a pet would fit into my life. I thought that I would foster once or twice and fall in love with a dog and then never do it again. I didn't think that I would enjoy it as much as I do.

I didn't see myself as someone that would be able to take care of a dog for an undetermined amount of time and then be able to let them go. I thought that I would just get too attached. And I do get attached, but knowing that they're going to a new home with a fresh start somehow makes it bearable when I have to drop them off. It is a great feeling knowing that I've been able to not only help this pet, but also the family that it will be living with.

We're still in the early stages of finding the next foster for our family, but I'm looking forward to seeing who we can help next. I'm looking forward to meeting this new dog and welcoming them into my home for however long is necessary. 

Mack might already be leaving

Saturday, we picked up Mack from a trainer and took him to a Paws in the City event at Lee Harvey's. it was great to be able to spend time with Mack and his trainer. Not only just to get some time to get to know Mack, but also to learn about some of his difficulties and how to help him. 

And now, after only a couple of days, someone is already looking to adopt him. I think it's a good thing that it has happened so fast because otherwise I would have had a hard time letting go of him. 

I don't know why it is harder for me to let him go than our other fosters. Maybe it's because we spent so much time with him from Day 1. Maybe it's because he reminds me of a dog I had growing up. Maybe it's because he's such a big teddy bear. Maybe it's because I've actually been home lately. Whatever it is, I guess I just have to get over it if he really is going to a new home. I need to remember that if he goes to another home, we can help another dog, another wonderful animal that we're giving a second chance. 

And that's why I foster. Not for other people. Not for recognition. But to give an animal a second chance at life. I foster in order to give dogs like Sheba and Parker and Mack the chance to find a home where they will be loved. Because they deserve it. It is a terrible fact that if we hadn't been able to foster, any of these three dogs would have been euthanized because there wouldn't have been a place for PITC to place them after pulling them from a shelter. Austin and I have thought about just getting a second permanent dog for Sam, but we've decided that we would rather foster. 

Sam is such a versatile dog that gets along with everyone and every dog he meets. He enjoys meeting new people. And he actually helps shy, reserved dog come out of their shell. Just by simply being Sam he helps them to remember that they can play and have fun. he helps them in ways that no person ever could simply by being such a happy dog. While we were fostering Sheba, we didn't have Sam and I didn't realize how much of a help having a second dog would be. But now, after fostering a few dogs, I'm beginning to realize that dogs don't just need love and attention from people, they need to learn how to be a dog in a happy home. 

I am a bit sad to see Mack go, but I'm looking forward to the next dog we can take in, the next dog we can save. 

Foster number three: Mack!

Meet Mack! On Saturday, he's going to be our new foster. 

Austin and I are excited to be welcoming in our next foster with Paws in the City. Since we started volunteering with PITC a year ago, we've really enjoyed being able to go to the adoption events (although we haven't been able to make it to one recently...). Eight months ago we opened up our home to Sheba and she stayed with us for almost three months before she found her forever home. A month ago we decided it was time to foster again (really I just told Austin I was bringing home a dog the next day for us to foster). We had Parker with us for about three weeks, two of which he wasn't even up for adoption because he was recovering from getting fixed, before he found his new home. And now, after actually asking Austin's opinion, we're ready for the next foster. 

Mack is about a year and a half old and a retreiver/lab mix... and that's about all we know about him. We're looking forward to working with him to help him find a new home. 

If you're interested in Mack or Paws in the City, visit their website here for more information. 

Weekend Wrap Up

As much as I'm sure you all loved to read my mid-terms, I think I'm done posting school essays. At least until finals, that is. It may seem a bit silly to some people, but I've realized that I really put more effort into things I know people are going to read. If I only feel like on professor is going to read a paper, I have a hard time spending five or six hours working on a paper. If I feel like several hundred people are going to read something because I put it on my blog, I feel like I really need to make sure its a decent paper. So, I appreciate you all putting up with the past week or so when I've been posting parts of my various midterms here. You may not actually read them and you may not really care, but knowing that they are here and they can be read by many people makes me work harder on them.

Anyways... As I said, no more midterm talk!

This past weekend, Austin and I went to the ballet with Danimal and Mel. The last time Austin and I went to the ballet was in February when Ben Stevenson's Dracula which was absolutely amazing. Friday we saw another of Ben Stevenson's productions, this time it was Peer Gynt. For those unaware of what Peer Gynt is, it is the story of a boy that leads a life switching from on woman to another, never settling down and always letting his hormones take control. He eventually is robbed, beaten and left for dead when a man finds him places him in an institution where he stays for many years. He eventually is released from the institution when he is very old and seemingly on death's door. He remembers all of the women he has wronged over his life and how he has hurt them all, and at the end he realizes that he still loves one woman and chooses to spend the remainder of his life with her. It's really a very beautiful and moving story. And, since it is a Ben Stevenson production, the ballet is something that both Austin and Danimal were able to enjoy (and if not enjoy, they at least sat through it).

Saturday was a very sad day. Sheba, our foster dog, went to her forever home. Austin and I thought it might happen since we took her to meet the couple last weekend, but it was still sad to see her go. She left Saturday morning, so Saturday evening and all day Sunday I just felt like our house was far too quiet. As much as I miss her, I know she's gone to a home that will be perfect for her and she will be loved. Not to mention she wont have to put up with any cats. Having Sheba was a great experience and Austin and I are very proud of the progress she made. We're really looking forward to the next dog we get, and hoping that it wont be too long before we get another dog.

Not only was having Sheba a great experience and we knew we were helping out a great cause, but we also realized that we really like having a dog in the house. Yes, a dog is a lot of work. It really is not something to get into without giving it a lot of thought, but there is something great about having a dog in the house again. Since we both grew up with dogs yet we haven't had one together, we've wanted to get a dog for a while. The thing stopping us for the longest time was whether we actually had the time to offer to a dog. We've seen we do and we're ready for one of our own. We're ready for our own dog to love for the next 10-15 years.

Meet Sheba!

Austin and I have been volunteering with Paws in the City a lot lately. For those that don't know much about PITC, they're an organization that works with kill-shelters to save dogs that are getting ready to be euthanized. They've only been around for 7 years, but they've been able to do a lot of work. Unlike a lot of pet rescue organizations, they don't have a "home" shelter. They work with boarding facilities in the DFW area until one of the volunteers lets them know they have room for a dog in their life. PITC relies heavily on fosters because the longer a pet is in a boarding facility, the more likely they are to pick up bad habits and become less adoptable. Not to mention funds going to boarding facilities could easily be going to pay for vet bills and saving more animals. When a pet is out of the boarding facility, they (generally) open up due to not being surrounded by other animals and getting more individual love and attention. Basically, fostering is much better for the pet.

One of the first things I wanted to do after buying a house was to start fostering a dog. Sunday, I got my first foster pup, Sheba. Sheba is one of the sweetest dogs I've ever known, even if she is a pit-mix. Spending time with her the past few days has really opened up my eyes as to how mis-labeled pits are. I'll be honest and say that I really didn't want to get a pit to foster due to their reputation, but this girl really knows how to change your mind. In the three days we've had her, she's not once so much as barked, let alone shown any aggression (something I was very worried about since we do already have two cats). Knowing the 9 times out of 10 a pit and a cat wont mix, I've expected a little bit of aggression, even from this docile dog. I think she just might be that 1 in 10 dog that doesn't mind cats, though.

The kitties really aren't pleased with having a new member of the family, even if it is temporary. But cats don't like change at all so I'm taking it with a grain of salt. They've been staying in the master bedroom when we have Sheba out, so in the evenings until she goes to her crate to sleep around 10:00. Next week we're going to try leaving them out in the evenings when we have Sheba out, so that's when I'm thinking the real work with her is going to come. Until then, Austin and I are just going to have such a sweet, docile animal.

I feel fairly certain that if she isn't adopted by someone soon, Austin may want to keep her. I never would have thought I would say this, but I love this little pit and I wouldn't mind if she did become a permanent member of the family.

A few weeks of madness

In 17 days, I'll be a homeowner! After the past six months of looking for a house and dealing with bank and title people, I can't believe it's almost here!

This past weekend, on top of spending as much time as possible as I could with my mother in law who's been dealing with some pretty major health concerns, Austin and I started to pack up our apartment. Being a military brat and moving constantly, I've become quite the professional when it comes to moving. I've got labels and spreadsheets and more labels. I've got a system that I've been using for years in order to pack. Austin thinks its a bit insane to see the way I got about packing, but it really works for me (and it makes unpacking incredibly easy).

I usually just see packing as a pain, but, knowing that this is that last time I'll be moving for quite some time makes this experience bearable. Am I the only one like that? Just knowing that you're not going to have to put your entire life into boxes and move somewhere new for many, many years (if ever) is a great feeling. I keep thinking "The next time I unpack this, it'll be in my new house!" It will be unpacked into my house. A place that has my name on it, not an apartment's name. All of these things will be going into a place that will be my own. I can put these boxes into rooms and paint these rooms! I can change the flooring if I want! I can get the appliances in my kitchen that I want, not worry about making due with what an apartment has to offer. I can change the lighting if I wanted to! I'll have a yard! A real yard!

With a yard, I'll finally be able to do something that I've wanted for many, many years. I'll be able to foster a dog and eventually have one of my own! I'm really excited to start working with Paws in the City to foster dogs and find a pup that fits into my home. I've wanted to have a dog ever since I got out of my parents' house but I can't bring myself to get a dog when it would be stuck in an apartment all day. Finally being able to have a house and a yard for a dog is wonderful! And, since I have had my cats for years, I would want to foster a dog or two to make sure that the dog not only fit with me, but also with them. And, even if I can't find the dog that I want for many months, I'll still be able to give love and attention to a dog just by fostering them. The past few weeks I've been working with a few people with Paws in the City to get all of my paperwork ready so when we get moved in all they need to do is tour the home and then find a dog for us to foster.

The next few weeks are going to be insanely busy, so I might not be able to post too much (other than photography assignments here and there). I'll be helping with the office move next weekend, moving into a house (yay!!) the week after, finishing up my last two weeks in British Lit and my Photography course, and getting into the fourth quarter projects here at work. I've been told fourth quarter is when shit hits the fan... I'm hoping I'm ready for it!