08/30/2025
I'm sharing something one of our amazing fosters just wrote on his timeline. It is so right on that i had to share.
Tex was brought in as a "stray" to animal control and was transferred to us. We knew he was a senior but didn't realize how senior he was. After labwork, xrays, etc we found he was in severe kidney failure. He was blind, deaf and had significant cognitive dysfunction.
They knew the outcome might not be a forever home, yet they took in Tex with open arms and an open heart. After a few days of homemade food, ice cream, snuggles, sunshine and cool breezes, we lovingly said goodbye to Tex. The fosters only had Tex for a short time but they still cried and cared for him as if it had been years. I always say that every animal finds us for a reason.
Thanks for fostering Glenn and Diane.
From Glenn's page...
Foster
Verb: encourage or promote the development of (something, typically something regarded as good).
Synonyms: encourage, promote, further, stimulate, advance, forward, cultivate, nurture, strengthen, enrich
I believe we agree dogs are regarded as something good. I believe being a foster is good too. When I foster a dog I am encouraged to promote and further myself just from the dog’s example. I’m stimulated to advance myself and move forward in my life. The experience to foster a dog cultivates my feelings to nurture my family and friends. I truly feel stronger in my life.
The process is a two way street, especially at first. It takes me a minute to understand that I am going through a development process. Once I start to understand the magic starts to happen. I start to trust my new friend and relax around him more and more. I really like it when I learn life lessons from a foster. Here is one to live by; I can almost always find the good in someone and forgive them. What a way to live! What a great world to live in if dogs had the chance to teach more people this lesson.
Many lessons can be learned if one takes the chance to foster a dog. When I have fostered a dog for a while I am so confident when I get the chance to meet someone who wants to give my foster a forever home I can’t miss. The pride that I have from being enriched by this dog will be with me forever and it shows and it carries over to other animals I foster. People who know me know I have been changed. They ask what changed in your life, you seem so peaceful? Only one answer and it rolls off my lips. I fostered a dog that I will remember forever and has given me a part of his life.
I cry sometimes but you know not all things worthwhile are easy. If I didn’t cry I would not be the right person to accept the teachings of a foster dog.
GS
