National Maltese & Small Dog Alliance
What you are about to read was sent to me by a friend. No one seems to know who wrote it but if you did and you are reading this please let me know so I can formally ask your permission to use it and if so I can let people know who wrote this wonderful article....
How can you give them up ??????
The one question foster moms like me get asked a lot is the inevitable How can you give them up, I would be broken hearted?. I usually give the standard response of
Oh, you get used to it!, hoping that some day I would.
Our family has fostered over 50 puppies. We name them, we love and cuddle them, and we take their pictures. We treat them with all the love and dedication that we show our own pets. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing our job. When we return our babies, they already know what love is and I suspect they spread it around.
Herein lies the dilemma. If we don’t fall in love with them, did we give them what they need? If we fall in love with over 50 puppies that will be given back, how can we emotionally survive to care for more? I often wondered this as I gave my bogus standard response to the “How can you give them up? question. I still wept when I drove them back to the shelter. I sometimes had to ask another volunteer to put them in the cage for me. My husband often cleaned the house after I left to return them so I wouldn’t be reminded of them when I came home. He made me a photo album of all of them with their names on it for Christmas so I would never forget a single one of them. As if I could. It felt like it was getting easier but I still had my moments.
Then it happened. Driving home on 610N one day after dropping off my latest bunch of babies, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t cried when I put them in the cage. I suddenly realized that the last thing I had said to them was “ You’re going to meet your families soon , and I was genuinely excited for them. I didn’t love or miss them any less, I just was SO happy for them that I didn’t think of myself or of how much I loved them. For me it was an epiphany. I knew that the next time someone asked me “How can you give them back? my answer would be “How can you not? How can you deny them their chance to be with their families? Their families are already out there I’ve decided. I just give them all the cuddles they need until they can get together. That way, when they do meet, everybody is happy, including me.
In the meantime, we all help each other. I’ve taken fosters that other moms feel they are getting dangerously close to. We put them into the cage for each other. We are available for each other when things get tough because we have all been there before. It’s a wonderful program and I’m very proud to be a part of it. Never, ever are you judged for what you can or cannot take or for what you will or will not do. We support each other and realize that at first it takes some getting used to. This is in no small part because of Judy Rundell, the foster manager. She is committed to the program and guides you through it.
Of course, just like everything else in life, there are very difficult or sad times when you take in a needy animal. But in the grand scale of things, they are so few and far between compared to the endless hours of adoring them and watching them play. We like to watch television with a puppy in every lap. Watching them clown around and be silly puts a smile on all of our faces. I honestly think our puppies have created a common bond, which has brought our family closer.
Foster animals come in all shapes and sizes. All breeds and mixed breeds, all ages and also both dogs and cats. Some are just too young, or too small. Some are ill, some aren’t. Some have been abused, most haven’t. They all need the same thing though, to be loved and cared for.
Don’t let the fear of Having to Give Them Back stop you if you are interested in our program. Your epiphany will come too and you will be happy for them when they leave your embrace. No pet ever came from Nowhere . A foster family is just the Somewhere they came from until they meet their forever families. We’re just stepping stones. Stepping stones to a wonderful life that they deserve.
We hope you enjoy these pictures and stories of our Rescues and their Foster families.
This is a new page so check back often as we make additions....
" Shy - Now named Cindy" |
Pictured, left to right, is Lisa (Ohio Maltese Rescue), Gail (Cindy's (Shy) Foster Mom), and Tony. Lisa is holding Stedson, Rosie is the little Pom, Gail is holding Angel and Tony is holding Shy.
|
Web design by Reflections![[IMAGE]](anemldog.gif)
Email Us !