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A friend of mine called me one evening the other week.<\/p>\nA friend of mine called me one evening the other week.<\/p>\n
An actress, a catering waitress, an alley recycler (keen on finding perfectly usable exercise equipment or baby gear that could find a second home through the right charity), she also fosters dogs.<\/p>\n
Before India came to live with me, she slept for a time in a crate in my friend\u2019s kitchen and probably was given a bath in a deep basin in her basement.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeb,\u201d she paused, preparing for the big ask. \u201cYou said your niece, maybe other people you know, are interested in fostering. Can you help me find someone who will take Luna? I\u2019ve still got Peaches here, and I can\u2019t really keep two dogs now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pet ministry just took on a dog under rush conditions. I think she\u2019s some sort of lab-spaniel mix.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure. A female, seven months old.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think she\u2019s had her shots yet. Anyway, she\u2019s coming here. Tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was in a home where they just had a baby. The baby seems to be scared of her and the father just dumped her with a vet or a friend. She\u2019s being picked up now. It would be great if we could find someone that would foster her \u2014 at least until we could figure out some options.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the aid of smart phone photo transfer technology, I sent Luna\u2019s pic to a few people, along with the sketchy information I had.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know why the thought came to me, but there was a wonderful woman who lived in my building until two years ago. She had a very large, but very mellow English Lab, who passed away since her move.<\/p>\n
I got in touch with her and made introductions. Level-headed about the situation, that the animal experienced some degree of trauma already, she agreed to come from a neighboring state to take the pup, at least for a couple weeks.<\/p>\n
I thought about the word \u201cfoster,\u201d \u201cfostering.\u201d<\/p>\n
The definition revolves around \u201cencouraging\u201d or \u201cpromoting\u201d the development of someone.<\/p>\n
Of course, it\u2019s easy to have negative associations as many children survived less than loving treatment in a foster home, but, in many cases foster situations are blessings, second chances to form bonds or escape dangerous situations and have a very different experience of life.<\/p>\n
A fostering relationship is not about duty or fulfilling an obligation. To foster someone or an animal may not be a permanent situation but, I think it\u2019s a healing arrangement for everyone involved.<\/p>\n
People that foster an animal give love and nutrition and patience and create a safe space. It\u2019s so special when someone can give their best freely, without attachment, without ownership or expectations.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a kind of reward in knowing that resources and affection can be given as an offering.<\/p>\n
And in a good fostering situation, an animal learns how to trust again. That\u2019s like giving them their life back.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know if it was a question of timing. I certainly don\u2019t know if fostering Luna will turn into adoption, but my former neighbor had a home and patience and the willingness to let someone into her heart, or, at least help the animal through a transition.<\/p>\n
Upon hearing that my former neighbor picked up the dog, I texted a short thank you and received the following.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is very sweet.\u00a0You can tell she must have been yelled at or even hit in her young life. She is great with other dogs, and she has been great with cats, doesn\u2019t chase or bark at them. Just really wants to be their friend\u2026 lol.\u00a0 Weather\u2019s been icky since getting back, so I haven\u2019t been able to show her the lake or walk around the lake yet!\u201d<\/p>\n
It made me feel so good to be part of this connection. Even if it\u2019s not permanent, it\u2019s a chance to build a little faith.<\/p>\n
I wish everybody took up opportunities to foster another soul, to give what they have to give and know that it makes a big difference. Supporting another while they re-learn how to trust is gratifying beyond what can be imagined.<\/p>\n
Being even just a link in such a chain, an adventure of learning trust and forming bonds, is no small thing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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A friend of mine called me one evening the other week. An actress, a catering…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6733,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[632],"tags":[531,532,54,533,535,534],"class_list":["post-6732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weekly-blog","tag-foster","tag-labrador","tag-no-small-thing","tag-pet-ministry","tag-right-charity","tag-trust","grateful-dozen-musings-imaginings","grateful-dozen-people-who-touch-me"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n