As you may have read in yesterday’s blog post, 16 foster animals have been in our care since the start of 2016 and as you might well imagine, I took a few photos of the journey. I thought you’d like to see them.
It started with the lovely Mishka who needed emergency foster care. I’d been toying with the idea of volunteering for a couple of months and one day, without really knowing what I was getting myself into, I offered my support. Mishka was dropped off a day or two later.
An excitable ball of stress flew into our lives, growling, running around and literally climbing the walls and bookshelves. We were slightly stunned at first. I quickly identified the source of her excitement was a mini tennis ball. Some dogs are “ball obsessed” and the sight or even smell of a ball causes them to go into a hyper focused state. It may seem cute but it’s actually very stressful for them. We managed to get the ball from her and hid it in our spare room. She lay outside the room whining for about an hour before giving up and settling on the couch.
She was in need of a good sleep and slept almost solidly for the next couple of days.
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She only stayed a week and then she had a couple of weeks at her next home before finding her forever home. In that short spell she taught me a lot about trust. As far as we knew she had been left on the streets and had to fend for herself. She had a scar on her back and side where someone had burned her but she had no issues with people. She loved meeting everyone and would greet them like long lost friends, never tiring of cuddles and attention.
I spent a few nights for a few weeks in tears about letting her go. Feeling terrible for not finding her a certain home before she left here, knowing she’d taken a piece of my heart with her. I’m not lying when I say I get attached easily. I’ve always been this way when it comes to animals. Somehow, I’d forgotten that about myself.
Luckily, I have plenty of photos to remember her by. Her cheeky wee face will always remind me that there are many animals who really need our help.
If you are considering getting a pet, please check out rescue centres before going to breeders. If you do go to a breeder, please do your research and make sure you’re giving your money to a reputable one who really cares for their animals. They do exist! You will have to do the work to find them and because they invest in their animals, you’ll need to pay more for one of them. It’s worth it.
Please never buy from a pet shop. Nine times out of ten, the animals there have been raised in terrible conditions and treated like objects instead of living beings. Sadly, there are so many places who are motivated by money and greed and not at all concerned with animal welfare.
It’s our job to make a difference. Every time you spend your money you’re casting a vote for the world you want to live in. Spend it wisely.