Priceless

I get a lot of flak at work sometimes for just how many fosters I have/seem to get adopted. "What number are you on this time" they always ask and though they are happy that I foster and are happy to include the foster dogs in the daycare, I'm sure they think I'm bloody bonkers.

Not just kind of dog crazy, like off-my-rocker dog crazy.

A new co-worker of mine asked me a few shifts ago why I would take a foster dog over a boarding dog (paying customer) after I turned down a dog for the weekend since I was full. (To be fair, I wouldn't have personally taken that dog anyway).

It took me a night or two to think on that question, not really having a good answer for her at the time I said "Not sure, but I'm full now."

But the longer answer is:

Sure, boarding dogs are good money, and sure, we usually have one or two here throughout the month, but most dogs I don't board for the money -though that doesn't necessarily mean I would do it without the money!- but because they fit into my pack, because they are happy here, because my dogs are happy to have them, because really they are easy to have (to some degree anyway). The odd one I board because I feel I really should, -long-term daycare customer- but overall I'd rather foster.

Because with fostering, I help a rescue, I help a dog, and I help make families whole.

Every TG run I tell myself "Oh, this time I'll just take one" and we somehow wind up with two. Just like almost every time a flight becomes available for Taiwan where I don't have a current Taiwanese foster, or TG dog on the way I say yes, send one though I really feel like taking a break.

---Rescue isn't taking a break and their up to their necks in dogs. I can not do as much as they can, but I can, even if I'm tired, take one more body in.

TG works so hard with so little resources, for two weeks of mine and Jerrad's time, most of the TG dogs are adopted. The ones that stay a little longer are usually older and therefore USUALLY easily to have longer term anyway. Sending an extra puppy along might make for a week or two of funny scheduling to meet a puppy's needs, but it gives that puppy a much larger chance at finding a SUPERB home. Plus, it takes a little bit of a load off TG so that one more body can come down. It's just one body I know, but it's the one body I can do. I might be a little extra tired, or disorganized, or pre-occupied, but I'll take that burden on willingly and even though after a few nights with a new puppy Jerrad goes "Oh god, let's take a break" he's always up for another. He can be up all night scrubbing poo or vomit from a new arrival having a hard time with new food, or being the first one to do long-line work on a new puppy in the yard and be given a merry chase, but once they're adopted he's always ready for the next one to come along.

For the Taiwanese guys, it's the reality that cuts at me most. Take for example Alice, who just came was adopted within a week. Here's an update from her new family!

Hi Emily and Monica,
Camryn and I just want to give you a little update. Alice has officially
stolen our hearts! She is an amazing little girl and is really settling in
to her new home. At this moment she is curled up on my daughter's bed
reading with her! Camera perfect! We have a ton of pictures of her playing
and sleeping in her little bed, so if you'd like some, please let me
know! She's already learned to sit when asked so I'm absolutely confident
that her training is going to go very well indeed!
Thank you again for everything! Our family has a brand new beautiful energy
that we are so grateful for!!
Cheers for now,
Carolyn, Camryn and Alice

Alice's reality if she didn't come to foster in Vancouver or Victoria is that she would probably turn 1 year old in Taiwan with no interest, still be fairly unsocialized and very likely, spend another year before finding her forever family. Even then, she wouldn't have experienced all the things she should have experienced as a puppy. For a week in foster care here, a week of me being a little overworked, a little more cranky, cleaning up a few more poos, Alice can be a normal puppy.

A puppy who isn't shy or scared of the world, a puppy who will learn to hike, swim, play outside in the grass, and visit strangers. A puppy who doesn't have to endure people who believe she is bad luck for having black on her.

The chance for Alice to become a normal puppy, and therefore a "normal" dog far outweighs the money I would have made for a weekend with a board dog -who I might have decided not to take anyway. You can not buy that, put a price on it. That week of my time, to that one dog and it's family is priceless.

So please, everyone who has a dog, please give thanks to those that saved them. It might have been a short time or a long time, but without that person you would not have your dog.

So thank you Yvette, Dave and TG for my Beckett and my Lemon, and thank you to those at Oops-a-Dazy Rescue for my crazy Hijinks. Am I so very grateful that you were there to be the bridge to get my dogs to me and I am happy to repay the favor.