Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Black Lab Mix Foster Rescue Dog Gets Adopted

I didn't even get a chance to write about Rowdy and he is gone! Such a sweet soul - rescued from death-row at one kill-shelter in KY by another, but the 2nd could give him more time plus they (Bowling Green Humane Society) have a great arrangement with rescue groups around the east coast. Through that system Rowdy got to come to Rudy's Rescue for Labrador Retrievers in NY and to foster care with us. A sweet, gentle soul who had clearly been someone's dog before, who knows how he came to such misfortune as to be on death-row, but thank goodness he was given another chance.

Rowdy (or, "not the Rowdy" as he became known among friends) is probably 6-8 yrs old and loves affection with people more than anything. Well-behaved in the house except for a few minor marking incidents, he is probably the easiest foster dog I have ever had -- and the shortest! Why is it it works that way?? He is moving in with a gentle woman, a cat that adopted her, and her 95-yr-old father who has always loved dogs. Rowdy will get to keep him company when his new mom is away and he will get to cuddle on the couch with her and sleep in bed. For a dog who lives for affection I think this is a very good match.

Still, fostering is hard. You can't help but get attached and protective for the dogs who share your home and your life, if even for a short time. You want to find the best home for every one of them. And then when you do and they leave - well, even though you are happy for them it is almost like a death in the family. You feel the missing energy. There is a quietness. A loss. I love them all in one way or another and they all affect my life. I hope I affect their lives in a positive way. Good luck on your final voyage Rowdy, my friend. One more home - the last home - to live happily ever after.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yay for Rowdy! And you *know* you are making a huge impact in their lives.

I found that having my own Lab buffered the loss of giving up the foster -- she is my rock!

And I won't tell you about how I became the running joke of the Rescue org for always thinking about adopting my fosters! And there are a few former fosters who are "former" only because they kept adopting their fosters!!

I'm sure you understand... ;-)

Steve in VA