My Third Foster

It was the end of February.  Our second foster, Miss Sassy Pants, had been approved to be adopted by an AMAZING family!  I knew our house would have a free spot for a new foster very soon.  I couldn't help but wonder who that new dog might be.

Every time I get on Facebook, I see dogs in need of rescue.  They are all over my news feed.  They all look so sweet and deserving to be rescued.  Although they are all adorable, I had never fallen in love with a photo before.  Then I saw her.

 

My heart melted when I saw that poor little tail tucked and those sad eyes looking right at me.  She of course reminded me of my own sweet June.  That made it all the harder to look at this incredibly sad photo of this sweet girl.  Her name on the photo was just as hard to look at.  Lemon walker kennel #13 was her name.  No name.  No home.  No one to love her.

I of course immediately posted this photo to Paula's Facebook paging asking if Sea Dog Rescue could save her.   She had a few pledges to help monetarily, and I offered to foster her.  Paula's initial reaction was that she would be hard to adopt because of her breed, so she could be a long term foster for me.  (I still don't understand why people don't see hounds as family dogs.  They are simply awesome dogs!)  Paula also feared that being from central North Carolina that she may be heartworm positive.  I told her that I was up for any challenge or hardship if it meant this sweet girl would be saved.  Paula, being the amazing, wonderful, generous, giving, awesome, and marvelous woman that she is, immediately set out to inquire about saving this beautiful hound!

Lemon walker kennel #13 was approved to be a Sea Dog!  She was immediately pulled and taken to a local vet for shots, her spay surgery, and her quarantine before travel and entering my home.  I was a mere two weeks away from meeting this beautiful girl!  

First thing first...she was given a name fitting of her beauty.  Willa.  Paula gave her the perfect name.  Now all I had to do was wait.

On Friday, March 1, Sassy, our second foster, was picked up by her forever family.  Although I was very sad to see her go, I couldn't help but be excited for the following day.  Not only was it my first time going on a volunteer rescue transport, but I was going to meet Miss Willa for the first time!  

Paula and I made it to the meeting place first.  We sat and chatted for a few minutes when the van carrying Willa pulled up.  I saw a little white tail peeking out from the back of the van.  I had butterflies in my stomach.  What would she be like?  Would she be happy?  Would she be scared? 

The shelter we pulled her from guessed her age to be about two.  The second she stepped out of the vehicle, I knew she was much older than that.  She had the face of a young senior that had seen a lot in her day.  She had a bit of a cold, and she was a bit nervous.  We also saw for the first time what the photo of her didn't show.  Down her right side, she had some scary looking scars.  What happened to this sweet girl?  Who or what hurt her?  All I knew was that she would never be hurt or scared again. 

We loaded her up into Paula's SUV and headed back to my house with her to meet Cooper and June.  I pet and loved her the whole way home.  She even let us hear her quintessential hound sound.  That howl won over my heart immediately.  Was I already in love?

I was torn.  I knew I had an instant connection with Willa, but I only had room in my home for three dogs.  Not only did the city have a limit, but my husband also had one.  I loved fostering and didn't want to stop.  But could I let this sweet girl go?

And so my internal struggle began....about two seconds after I met Miss Willa.

As always, please consider adopting your next best friend from your local shelter or rescue group.  You most certainly won't regret it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Laura