Foster Care – The Ups & Downs

We all know how my last foster dog went… I adopted him. Remember my story about Gus? Yeah. He came into the shelter all small and pitiful and I thought – What a great opportunity for my husband and I to foster a pup. This would be an easy task, so I thought. It was not as easy, as I thought. He was a puppy that because he was so young and without a momma or siblings, he whined through out the entire night and played 23 hours out of the day. I got way too attached. I couldn’t imagine removing him from my pack of furkids. After long discussions with the husband and a pros and cons list, we decided that we would adopt the little booger.

I think the whole concept to foster is one of the best ways that volunteers can do to help the animal shelter. But you have to know your limits and know what you are getting into. We fostered Gus for 3-4 weeks. That was tough on me. I grew way too attached. I now know, I need a super temporary foster pet.

Last week, a white boxer came into the shelter named “Lou.”

Too cute for words. Not only that but he was the breed that my husband has dreamed of. I was asked to foster him for 3 days. The ultimate test for a foster that gets too attached. But I did it. I surprised the hubby with a new four legged pet and told him that we must return this dog in 3 1/2 days. I focused on the fact that he was SUPER adoptable and that he wouldn’t be on the floor but for a day before someone swooped him up. He was on KBTX as Pet of the Week and sure enough, first thing Saturday he was adopted!! It’s a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing that your little extra effort was worth it.

I think that’s what any foster parent prepared themselves for, a new loving home for an animal that they cared for just as deeply. We are so thankful for our foster parents, without you our animals would be too young, un-social and un-house trained. You provide a temporary home for our lovable furry friends.

- Krystle

Blessing of the Animals and St Francis Festival

Celebrate the ministry of St Francis of Assisi and his love for all creatures

Bring your animals to be blessed, or just come celebrate our companions! There will be low-cost rabies vaccinations, Brazos County Tags and microchipping available, as well as Pets for adoption, demonstrations, free food and fun to be had for all ages! Come out and join us!

 St. Francis Episcopal Church 
Saturday, October 3, 2009 
10:00am – 2:00pm 
St Francis Episcopal Church
1101 Rock Prairie Road 
College Station, TX 
979-696-1491

Lone Star Quilt Works (LSQW) Garage Sale will help Shelter

[Taken from LSQW's monthly newsletter.]
Mark your calendars for another LSQW garage sale! This is where you can clean out your closet and benefit the community as well. Date will be Saturday, October 24th from 10 – 4pm. More details to follow at a later date but start collecting all of those fabrics you are not sure why you bought, those cross stitch patterns you’ve never used, that ruler you really don’t like, etc. All items must be sewing/quilting/knitting related, priced by YOU, and bagged in ziplock bags. 1/3 of what is sold will be yours to keep, 1/3 will be for LSQW, and 1/3 will go to the local animal shelter, (my charity of choice in honor of my mother.) Please DO NOT bring anything to the shop until I send out a more detailed letter. This is just a heads up to start gathering your goodies!

Website for LSQW:    http://www.lonestarquiltworks.com/  

Never Too Old for a Second Chance

People bringing us a stray or owner surrendering their pet often ask ” do you think it will get adopted”?    No matter how much we wish we can say yes, without a crystal ball, there is no way we can make that promise. What we do know,  most people looking for a dog not just adopters, prefer a puppy, a purebreed or a small house dog.   So when a dog comes in regardless of their pedigree who is older and bigger, in our hearts we know they are less likely to find a new home.

Fortunately, there is a group of people who want to adopt a homeless pet and choose the dog that seems to pick them, regardless of their looks or age. What they do not realize is, not only did they find the “one” and saved a life,  they also provide the staff  something very important. Hope.  An optimism that each animal, regardless of its appearance has a chance of walking out the shelter doors it came in through.   

Then there are animals we receive that have so many things going against them, most poeple would assume euthanasia will ultimately be the decision made. Instead, they become the topic of our staff meetings, our goal is to exhaust every possible option to place an animal in a new home before euthanasia is ever considered.

Two weeks ago,  a 7-year-old Great Dane was surrendered by his owner. Considering the average life span for a Great Dane is 7-10 years he was already an old man. Needless to say his huge size and age alone, do not fit what most people are looking for in a new pet.  After having a physical and vaccinations, we learned he was also heartworm positive. Now not only did he need someone willing to overlook his size and age, he needed an owner who would provide him heartworm treatment. With more healthy younger animals coming in everyday, and not enough kennel space, we had to go to our next option.  Breed Rescue.

Last week we spoke to Beth Williams, she is with Great Dane Rescue of Southeast Texas.  They agreed to place our Great Dane in their program. On Saturday Beth drove in from Houston along with all the game day traffic and picked up ”Lil Man”.

Thank you Great Dane Rescue of Southeast Texas. Because of you we were able to watch “Lil Man” walk out the doors he came in through. 

 

Pictured-Beth Williams (Great Dane Rescue), “Lil Man” and Xavier (shelter staff)

Flower

Flower (AKA Hannah)

I recently had a dog of 18 years pass so I turned to the Brazos Animal Shelter to find a new companion. I went in and looked and a lab mix named Daisy stole my heart. I called my boyfriend to tell him I had found the dog I wanted, to see if he thought getting another do was a good idea (it was my 2-year anniversary present, although at the time I didn’t know). I got online about twenty minutes later and Daisy was gone. On our anniversary day, I got a bag with all kinds of goodies: bones, water and food bowl, treats, and toys. He told me he had got me a lab because that’s was daisy was. I was so excited I decided I wanted to go take a look of my own. When i walked in a looked around, I saw the pup he had originally planned to get me, and came across this little bitty black dachshund mix. She immediately made me shed a few tears. She was so tiny and she also had a skin problem on her back legs and bottom. I ended up bringing her home two days later. Now she is about 10 weeks old, potty trained, knows her name, what a whistle means and has more energy than any other 4-pound dog I’ve ever seen. She loves to sleep under the covers, cuddle, dig in dirt, be outside, loves her belly rubbed, loves to sleep on her back with arms straight up in the air, rub her stomach across the floor, constantly loves to play, and absolutely loves begging strips and chicken sticks. Flower has completed my home and brings a smile to my face every time I walk in the door. I would like to give an HUGE THANKS to the Brazos Animal Shelter for rescuing such AMAZING pets!