The Temporary Pup

I mentioned earlier in the week we had a foster dog. I promised to explain. Here it is:

You may or my not know that E and I love animals. We also just have a heart for people/ dogs/ anything that needs a home. This led to a brief stint with a ferrel cat in our apartment when we were first married. She eventually ran away but we kept her warm one winter and she managed to claw all our furniture. This is not on topic at all--just to say, we hate seeing any creature without a family.

Which is why, when our friends who own a natural pet food store posted on Facebook that a sweet two year old female, white boxer who was deaf needed a temporary home to get over kennel cough, it took less than 24 hours for her to be in our home.  Meet Boo: 

Here is how the conversation went:

Me: (On FB) Oh! She's so sweet!

Friend: (on FB) Do it!

Me: (to hubs via text) Hey, do you want to foster a dog who looks like Gabby? Look at the photo!

Hubs: (via text) When can we pick her up?

Our foster application was approved at 9am on Thursday morning and by noon, E had picked her up, taken her home, and made her comfortable. I mean, look at that face above. Not Mine. The sweet white, dopy one. NOT MINE! The puppy (oh I am so funny!). How could you say no!?

Amazingly, our sweet visitor bought some peace to our house. Since Boo can't hear, she's not much of a barker. She's actually pretty passive in general. So when our seven-month-old monster came in contact with her, Gabby learned some manners. If she attacked Boo (playfully), Gabby just bowed down and played nicely. No barking. No roughing her up. If she got tired, Boo just put her weight on her gently and kept her calm. It was amazing! They became fast friends. Really they were perfect buddies.

Except at night. When Gabby refused to sleep. UGH! 

But, this was all short-lived. Friday morning we got a call asking to go on a meet and greet.  We obliged on Saturday morning.

Here's where I have to admit to you that as I went on a meet and greet, I didn't love Boo's new owner. They weren't horrible but I just didn't get a good vibe. If I got a choice I probably wouldn't have let her go to them. Yet, I didn't get a choice. The shelter said the family could have her and we had to let her go. We got to love her well for the rest of the weekend, knowing the end of the weekend would be the end of our time with her.

On Sunday night, we took pictures. We loved her well. She snuggled in our bed.

And then, on Monday morning, I took Boo back to the shelter for her surgery and new home. And I cried. And tried not to lose it in front of our sweet friend.  We pray her new owner loves her well. We feel lucky we got to show love to her for just a short while. The shelter also told us that we saved a puppy's life that day--aside from helping Boo to get over her sickness, the shelter could not have held one more dog that day. They would have had to lose one. So we feel blessed to have taken care of one who needed a home.

Will we foster again? I don't know. It was one of the sweetest, hardest things we've ever done. And no, I don't think fostering a dog is the same as fostering a baby. Not even close. But foster moms (of real, human babies/ kids/ teenagers), you are officially on my prayer list. May the Lord bless you for loving a child for as long as you get him or her. You truly are serving him selflessly.  I am amazed at what God is doing in you and through you.

We love you, Boo. You will always be a part of our family. We wish you well in your new home.