by Nancy Nehlsen, Editor in Chief, Boomerful.com
I have spent most of my life as a foster parent: first with children, now with dogs. I thought the dogs would be easier. I was wrong. My foster kids came to me feeling abandoned, unloved and inappreciable. My foster dogs come to me as representatives of the very worst behavior that humanity has to offer.
I now foster three dogs at my home through K9 Kindness. Cesar’s family decided after eight years that he was expendable. Cesar spent days standing by the front door of my house, ready, and expecting, to go home. He paced uncontrollably and snapped if you approached him from the wrong direction. My daughter Jilly worked patiently to restore his confidence in people, and himself. Now he smiles when we come home from work, and lies quietly beside Jilly’s bed without any sign of his former neuroses.
Sam, a stunning 100-pound German Shepherd, was found emaciated in a crate, chewing on his own legs and tail. He runs in circles yelping, only calming when he is being petted.
And then there’s Oscar. Old, decrepit, and what most people would describe as less than beautiful, Oscar may have been used as a bait dog in fighting rings. He was found wandering by the side of the road, battle scars covering his body, one eye bulging, mattering and bright red. Our friends literally gasped at the sight of Oscar when he first came to us. But, looks aside, Oscar exemplifies spirit overcoming adversity.
Oscar ambles at a pace that allows me to simply walk ahead and stand in front of him if he decides to leave the yard, his short, stubby little legs rocking his body from side to side as he pants and snorts his way through life. Yet his hairless tail wags continuously, his smile never fades, and he tries like the dickens to jump like the other dogs when I come home from work.
We think Oscar is at an age where he may not be with us for long. We will truly miss him when he leaves us, for he brings joy to everyone he meets, and adds a dimension to our lives that wasn’t there before. He has shown us that despite what happens to one in life, positive spirit can overcome fear and anger and a lifetime of hurt.
Here is contact information for the K9 Kindness location I visit. I encourage you to work with a foster pet program near you. Believe me when I say: the experience will enrich your life.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/k9kindnessrescue.html
563.391.1908
[email protected]
Comments