Breshike Foster Tails

09/30/2024

Can you help this little foster momma out? We are in need of kitten food donations.

This summer, we joyfully entered back into kitten fostering when there were multiple bottle babies in need of help. We all love having the little fluffies, but 2 year old Evelynne just can't get enough. We joke that she is part cat 😹 So, she has been living her best life, as you can see.

I've had to put very few donation pleas up because we were blessed with many opportunities throughout the summer to dogsit some of our past fosters. I don't charge a set fee, I just request a donation of whatever the family is comfortable giving towards our foster supplies. We had some VERY generous donations, and because of them, I was able to say yes to many pets in need without worrying about whether I would be able to provide good quality and consistent food and supplies.

We slowly but surely worked through our foster funds. They are growing fast, and these kittens are bottomless pits, especially when it comes to their wet food. We have 8 already on solids and 3 that will be there before we know it. If you have the ability to shop our Amazon Wishlist and send a gift of food their way, we would be so appreciative! The link to the list below. We can also accept monetary donations toward our foster mission via PayPal or Vemno.

Thank you so much for your continued support!

Amazon Wishlist: https://tinyurl.com/2s3tzjp7

09/26/2024

I don't think you are ready for this, but here you go:

It's Fizzle!

Fizzle is a dynamic and fun-loving 5 year old exotic bully mix. She may have come from a sad backyard breeder situation, but that hasn't gotten her down. In fact, nothing really gets her down, which is good because she is about as low to the ground as she can get. Fizzle is a fire cracker and always looking for a good time. She is playful, happy, and runs full force into the action. You may want to invest in some shin guards because she is similar to a runaway bowling bowl. Fizzle is always excited to make new friends and doesn't discriminate between people, cats, and dogs. True to the bully breeds, Fizzle has a rough and tumble play style and is full of zest, so it's best if all participants are ready to rumble. She does seem to enjoy being the Queen Bee and might be better suited for male companions when considering her as a roommate to another canine. She loves kids but her compact stature can cause a toppling effect so she may be a lot for a toddler unless they are sturdily built or can translate the amount of times they are knocked over to how much they are loved.

All jokes aside, we are looking for an adopter who is prepared for the upkeep and medical care that comes with owning a brachycephalic or flat-faced breed. Fizzle did not have the best start to life, and the ethics of her breeding was questionable. We request that applicants please research and be prepared for what all this short-stacked-snorty-smooshed-faced-cuteness territory could bring. Fizzle and the rest of her short-nosed low-rider buddies are worth the extra effort!

Fizzle is looking for a forever home where she can share her boundless energy and affection. If you're ready for a fun-loving, spirited companion who will keep you on your toes, Fizzle is the perfect match for you!

Applications can be submitted on www.sfcva.org!

09/25/2024

This little dude tells me he has never met a stranger and is on the lookout for someone who is looking to some happy-go-lucky puppy fun to their lives. He is ready for adoption!

Check out Nanobot's bio info, and don't hesitate to put in an application or share with your friends:

Meet Nanobot, our 2.5-month-old mixed breed bundle of joy! Weighing in at a playful 10 lbs, Nano is the life of the dog pack in his foster home. His happy and bouncy nature makes him a favorite among his furry friends, and he’s always up for a game or a cuddle.

Nanobot is a social butterfly who gets along wonderfully with dogs, cats, and kids alike. He’s a quick learner and is currently working on mastering the art of crate training and housebreaking. With his friendly demeanor and boundless energy, Nano is sure to bring endless joy and laughter to his forever home.

If you’re looking for a playful, loving companion, Nanobot is your guy!

Ready to make Nanobot a part of your family? Submit and application at www.sfcva.org today!

09/21/2024

EXTRA, EXTRA! Read ALL about it!

You know the story, I have many new faces to introduce and adoption stories to share.

I'm always behind 🙈 but these little boys get priority tonight because even though we haven't been fostering them that long, they are already adoptable! Otto Rocket and Nanobot joined the Breshike Foster Crew Tuesday morning, and today, they were neutered!

They expedited their adoptability by at least a week. When I picked them up from headquarters, I broke them out of kennel cough jail (quarantine) and was expecting the foster period to be at least 1.5 weeks while they finished kicking their puppy cold. Luckily, when I got them home and settled, it was realized that they were symptom free and safe to get neutered. There was no reason to hold them back from the possibility of meeting their forever families, so early this morning they headed up to the rescues vet partner in MD to check the last box to get adoption ready.

I know it's hard to tell size in these pictures, but they are just little tots. Both are under 10 lbs at 2.5 months! Another thing you can't tell in the picture is how incredibly soft their fur is. They are pint-sized velvety smooth cuddle puppies! Both are happy boys ready to learn all about the world and what it's like to have a family of their own to love them, to be kept healthy and safe, and to show them all the fun that is out there to discover! They battled parvo and kennel cough to get this far and deserve the world, if you ask me.

Both boys were incredibly sweet and respectful when introduced to our toddler, our cats, and our dogs. They have shown that they will adapt quickly to a variety of different homes. If you are ready for all the joys (and sometimes frustrations) that adding some puppy love to into your life has to offer, please come meet Otto Rocket and Nanobot!

They will be attending the SFC PetSmart adoption event tomorrow afternoon from 12 to 4!

PetSmart Central Park
1421 Carl D Silver Pkwy
Fredericksburg, VA 22401

09/15/2024

Today, this little guy will be making his adoption event debut!

Who knows if he will get adopted today, but we are going into the experience with the excitement of new possibilities for Galapagos. Well, I don't know about 'Gus' but I sure am. Right now, he is excited about taking an after breakfast nap. Rest up little buddy, we've got a busy afternoon ahead!

Galapagos is a silly quirky dude who will make you chuckle as he navigates not having to survive each day in a dog hoarding environment. He has settled into the 'normal dog' world pretty smoothly and is content with a nice spot on the couch to curl up in. He's housebroken, walks beautifully on a leash, is always thankful for a good meal, and gets along with cats, kids, and dogs. He is odd in the most lovable way. Galapagos is so low-key and easy, he doesn't requiremuch to make him happy!

If Galapagos sounds like he could be the unique little pup that your heart has been waiting for, come meet us this afternoon!

📍Central Park PetSmart
1421 Carl D Silver Pkwy
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
1 to 4pm

09/14/2024

Introducing Brontë, Woolf, and Alcott!

These little girls joined the Breshike foster lineup last Wednesday and just turned 4 weeks old. They and their mom arrived at soon after they were born, and their foster realized pretty early on that mom was going through quite the shock with all of the rapid life changes. She is just a baby herself, not even a year old yet, and I can pretty much guarantee that she wasn't dreaming about motherhood. Add a big environmental change to an already undersocialized cat, and you've got a discombobulated teen mom. Momma Aseefa did the best she knew how to do while their foster mom, Debbi, kept watch and even helped with sublimatial bottle feedings when necessary. No one was thriving, and the tough decision was made to separate the kittens from mom. Aseefa was struggling with motherhood while adjusting to a whole new world, and it was the best thing we could do for the whole family unit. Now, momma can turn her focus from managing kittens to preparing to find her forever home. Luckily, Aseefa will never have motherhood forced upon her because she will be spayed prior to her adoption!

Debbi, their foster mom, had reached out to me a week or so prior to the separation to see if I would have the time and space to take more bottle babies. It just so happened that my 3 kittens were all in the process of graduating to solid food, so it was perfect timing for more babies to arrive. I think it's the summer of stubborn babies because they, too, made me work before accepting that I was their new food source, but we have hit our stride, and everyone is doing really well. It won't be too long before we will start the weaning process, and I know they will be ready to fly the coop before I can wrap my head around it.

Welcome, little ones. We are excited to watch you grow!

09/11/2024

Who doesn't love an ugly duckling story? They are some of my favorites!

The director shared a series of many Great Pyrenees located at a shelter in a pathetic state about a month ago. A few people in the chat asked what breed they were because they were so hard to recognize. All 10 had their 'Great' taken from them. Gazing upon these faces made my heart lurch, and I was haunted. These guys had rescue placement already, but tragically, there were 6 more still on the property they came from. The next day, I asked Ryan if SFC was planning on pulling any of these Pyrs into the rescue. It was a possibility, so I told him that I would be on standby. We would like to provide a foster home for one of them if they needed it.

About two weeks later, I got a message that 2 of these dogs would be coming to SFC, and if my offer to foster still stood that I could take one. I was still reeling from Margo's very recent death, and we were headed out of town in a few days, but my heart told me to say 'yes'. My need to help a dog heal and leave a life of neglect behind was as great as his need for a safe, loving place to land. I enjoyed my family vacation and had an exciting 'project' to return home to. Unfortunately, a possible exposure to Parvovirus after they arrived required a few more days of quarantine, but by Saturday morning, I was chomping at the bit to bring him home and he was ready to be released!

Meet Hogarth Hughes, a lovable gentle giant! (I'll explain the name later for those who don't recognize it) He is a 1 year old Great Pyrenees that suffered from sarcoptic mange (that's the contagious kind, but has been treated) and is extremely under weight. He already looks so much better than when he arrived, but obviously has a ways to go. We are feeding him several times a day, and his skin is improving quickly. His 'Great' will be reinstated in no time!

09/08/2024

This little treasure is going to be someone's lucky penny of that, I am sure! She has been aptly named Miss Penny, though it was probably because of her coppery color, the intake team titled her beautifully.

Miss Penny is about 4 months old and already has a story to tell. Unfortunately, she was left to fend for herself at a rest stop, sick, and with a very real possibility of death looming. When she was found, she was already presenting with symptoms of Parvovirus, and after the diagnosis was confirmed by a vet, was reached out to for assistance with her care. Luckily, they were able to take her under their wing, and it seems that she responded quickly to treatment. That alone is a blessing because it is unknown how long she was symptomatic, and the clock ticks quickly with Parvo. Her luck has already been seeing her through low times that no puppy should have to endure. Now, with the virus beat, Miss Penny is ready to live a life filled with happiness, love, and a best friend.

We have gotten to foster MANY puppies, and I can't help but think that Penny is at the top of the list of easiest. Usually, at this age, they are good at testing your patience while they figure out housebreaking (which is especially hard if they have spent two weeks in quarantine) and it can be difficult to get them to hit the pause button on all that puppy energy. Miss Penny is impressively (mostly) housebroken and does a great job at matching her activities with the rest of the pack. The only thing that she really has to work on is jumping up when she is excited. Penny is crate trained and does wonderfully with all the dogs, cats, and kids here. She is extremely cuddly and will enjoy curling up next to you on the couch if you need some chill moments. I have even broken my rule about fosters puppies being contained at night and gotten to snuggle her will we snoozed.

Miss Penny is now on the search for her adopter! She is accepting applications from potential adopters on www.sfcva.org and plans to be ready to go to her new home on Saturday (9/14). If you are on the hunt for a pup to make you feel like you're the luckiest person in the world, make sure to apply!

09/07/2024

Last weekend, my family and I were able to go out of town knowing that most of our foster babes were on their own little vacation surrounded by love and attention from other foster families. We want to say a special thank you to (for taking Fortissimo, Bria, and Forte), .fostering (Romini), and .rodriguez.7 (Galapagos). It's never easy for me to pass off their care, but my mind was at ease because I know these fosters treat them as their own, just like I do. They got to skip the stress of hanging out in the kennel style environment, and I was able to get confirmation that these guys are truly as awesome as I am telling you they are 😉 They say it takes a village and that is definitely a true statement when it comes to animal rescue! We appreciate you guys ❤️

08/31/2024

I've gotten to introduce you guys to a couple of special pups currently in our lives, but it's time to highlight the foster kitten crew! All three of these itty bitties came into our house classified as bottle babies, though Forte very loudly refused the bottle, and I was never able to convince him otherwise. This past week, the other two decided they were ready to transition from the bottle to wet food, and that makes for a very proud (and better rested) foster momma. It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks, all 3 should be ready for their forever homes!

All my bottle babes, unless previously named, are dubbed with a name that has a literary or musical theme. My first neonates, Story and Lyric, kicked off this tradition, and we have been going strong ever since. So, without further ado...

Forte: the youngest and newest of the whisker bunch. I believe he is about 4.5 weeks old, and up until recently, I really wasn't feeling confident with his prognosis. I don't know his backstory, but I assume he was found and brought into the local shelter. Forte had always had a strong set of lungs and has no problem keeping me in line and on schedule. He had quite a dip in weigh soon after arriving, but has started on the upward swing. I'm hope that in another week, he can break out of quarantine so he can run and pounce like kittens are supposed to.

Fortissimo (aka Mo): you may recognize him as the little kitten that Chatham had bundled in a blanket the day we picked him up from the shelter a few weeks ago. He is 6 weeks old now, has grown quite a bit, and has really been showing off his strong personality. Mo is a perfect mix of playful and snuggly. He is quite a little charmer, and everyone in the family loves to spend time with him.

Bria: This fluff ball got some notoriety after her picture, and story were shared on the
page. Bria and her two brothers were hung on the gate of the shelter in a plastic bag for employees to find when they returned to work. They had a rough start, but now, at about 5 weeks old, Bria is thriving! Her fur is silky soft and she is adorably spunky.

They are growing so fast 🥰

08/29/2024

Gorgeous dog.

To me, that's a fact, but I guess most characterize that statement as an opinion. Fine... I'll share some other facts about our GORGEOUS foster girl named Romini (but make no mistake, I stand by the gorgeous part, both inside and out).

Romini is a 4.5 year old mix breed pup that is around 35 lbs. As soon as you see her move, you will notice she is a little different from most dogs. Romini has a neurological disorder that gives her some head tremors, and sometimes her hind legs move erratically (I refer to that as her extra little giddy-up). It's not uncommon for her to lose her footing, but she takes no time to get herself right back up to reorient herself. She is blind in her right eye, and that is something that I forget because she compensates so well for it.

The sad fact is that these differences will cause potential adopters to turn away because she doesn't fit all the expectations people have when looking for a dog. Boy, are they missing out on the love of a lifetime! What's crazy is that though Romini is described as "special needs," she does not need a lot of extra care, just some extra consideration. Slick floors are a challenge for her, but as long as there is some texture, she can navigate pretty well. I've noticed that she is getting a little stronger with the few shorts walks we do together each day. Area rugs, carpets, and runners are her friends. She will attempt stairs, but it's easier to carry her up. Her petite size makes that easy, but we prefer to use our door to walk out of the basement and avoid that obstacle altogether. Romini is a lot neater at drinking and eating with raised bowls, but isn't that true if many dogs? That's it. That's all the extra care I have had to give her the couple weeks that she has been here. Honestly, it hasn't really required much extra time.

Every day, Romini rewards my small efforts with unlimited affectionate. Another fact: I have struggled to get good face on pictures of her because every time I crouch down, she comes to me for a cuddle. She is low maintenance and low key and would thrive in a quiet home that will love her for the wonderful dog she is.

Apply at www.sfcva.org!

08/28/2024

Is Social Media Anxiety a thing? I feel like it might be a thing because once I got behind, I didn't know how to get back into the groove. What posts do I do first? What stories would get you guys interested again? Would the algorithms that I hear so much about play nice and even show that I'm posting? Is it worth the time I agonize over each post? Though I have been quiet, we have been busy. Busy with fosters and volunteering and complicated life situations running alongside it. I have so many faces to introduce you to! Some are still hanging with us as they get stronger and/or waiting to get old enough for adoption, others have already been adopted, and a couple are waiting to meet their matches. I'm ready to dive back in! Are you coming along for the ride?

I decided to start with the foster that has been with us the longest. This pup is a little weird due to his past life, but I mean that in most positive loving way! We affectionately call him Gus 'cause Galapagos is a mouthful, and his quirks make me giggle every day. You just can't take him too seriously while he adjusts to "normal" life, which he is doing beautifully. This boy is ready to settle into life with his forever person. Check out his adoption bio:

Galapagos is a small dog with a big heart, ready to find his forever home! Rescued from a challenging situation where he lived with over 60 other dogs, Galapagos has emerged with some quirky behaviors that only add to his unique charm.

Despite his past, Galapagos is a low-maintenance pup who has been thriving in his foster home. He gets along wonderfully with dogs, cats, and kids, though he prefers the company of calmer canine friends. Galapagos is crate-trained, walks beautifully on a leash, and loves to sleep near his people at night.

With a little patience and understanding as he adjusts to a new environment, Galapagos is sure to become a cherished companion. If you're looking for a loyal, loving, and charming addition to your family, Galapagos is the perfect match!

Are you ready to give Galapagos the loving home he deserves? Submit an application at www.sfcva.org!

08/27/2024

This is not the post I thought I'd be breaking the radio silence with. I had originally just posted on my personal page, but I realize that there are many of you who have loved Margo from afar and deserve to be updated. Not only have followers watched as she grew along our journey together, but she has nine beautiful pups out there. I have more in my heart to say, but I can't right now. Things are too raw. This is what I posted on my personal FB page:

Margo. Loved completely since January 2021 and forevermore. We will miss you, but our hearts will forever know your name.

I don't have the words or strength right now to make a post worthy of our Momma Margo. I'm not sure I ever will be able to express life and love of the sweetest soul I have ever met. I hope to revisit her story later, but as the word spreads of our loss, I thought we would put something here. I'm not able to adequately respond to the messages I have received, but we feel the love. We were not prepared for this goodbye, and our hearts are aching.

08/07/2024

Dazed and confused is probably the best way to describe my mental state approaching the weekend 😅 It was truly one thing after another throughout the week. The most eventful points being my first gallbladder attack requiring a visit to two different ERs in the middle of the night; finding out one of the rear brake calipers was literally hanging from one car (thank goodness I made it home without issue); and then days later having the one functional car we had left being slammed into when the kids and I were about 1.5 blocks from our house in the neighborhood rendering it not drivable. Hell of a week, I tell ya.... BUT... I sure had something to look forward to...

Friday evening, Luna was officially adopted! The match feels like it was written in the stars. When I met up with Luna and her new family to complete all the paperwork, Luna acted like she didn't even know me. I gotta say, being shrugged off by her was the best feeling, lol. She had brushed off her life in Florida and everything connecting her to it and moved on. I'm beyond happy for her. This girl isn't looking back; she's found her forever love!

Luna had hitched a ride with me and my family up to Virginia after I visited my favorite shelter in a rural town in Florida while on vacation. She had been ditched far too many times in her short life, and I wanted to break that cycle. I'm grateful that
said "yes" when I reached out for rescue support and allowed me to take her in as a foster! I posted her picture for the first time on the 18th, and the next day, I received a message asking for more info. They have a male silver lab that looks uncannily similar to her, and they were drawn in. A few days later, she met them and started her foster-to-adopt placement. The introduction to her new brother was a bit rocky for the first 20 minutes or so, but things simmered down quickly, and I hear that they are BFFs now. Luna has a mom, dad, and 2 girls who are enamored with her, and I can tell Luna feels them the same way about them.

Luna is right where she was always meant to be! Happy Tails, sweet girl!

08/04/2024

INCOMING!

This is the face if our newest foster who is arriving very shortly. I peeped this cutie through the window of the isolation room the day I was picking up Noe at HQ. I messaged that night and said 🙋‍♀️

I can wait to actually meet him!

A couple of weeks ago, we made a late-night drive to central VA to pick up this four-ish month old pup who was sick in the ER with life-threatening parvovirus. He had been surrendered to our friends at Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge, who reached out to us to help!

Now known as “Silas,” this pup had a relatively simple treatment and recovery from his illness and has been chilling in post-parvo quarantine for about 10 days since his symptoms disappeared. He has just been freed from quarantine and will be headed to foster care within a few hours! We’re excited to help him on the next step of his journey, and thankful to everyone who helps support our parvo ISO and our work to save these pups!

08/03/2024

Y'all. I'm so far behind on posting. I keep thinking, "Today is the day I catch up," and then more stuff happens 😩 I am just checking in to let you know the Breshike Foster world is still kickin'.

We have invited (or received back) four sweet boys into our foster clan this past week, and most of them already have families waiting to meet them. I hope that today is their big day! I want to do better posts about these four boys and give them the spotlight they deserve, but who knows, with the way life is skipping these days, I'm not sure. So here's a quick lineup along with their status (all these boys are being fostered through ):

Vector ~ 6 year old, Dachshund mix, about 12 lbs. Funny little dude. He is very sweet and true to the breed. Loves to snuggle. Dog, cat, and kid friendly. Vector does have a meet-and-greet scheduled this morning 🥳

Galapagos ~ 7.5 year old, Shih Tzu mix (maybe Boston Terrier?) mix, about 12 lbs. This little guy came to SFC, along with 10 others like him, after being saved from a 60+ dog hoarding situation about 1 month ago. He is timid and still learning to socialize, but it's so easy to see what a fantastic pup he is already. Galapagos isn't quite ready for adoption.

Muppet ~ some kind of Doodle about 2.5 years old and 60-ish lbs. GREAT dog! Dog, cat, and kid friendly. Muppet was adopted right before we went out of town a couple of weeks ago. He returned a few days after we got back. It just wasn't the fit we all hoped for. He almost immediately started a foster-to-adopt placement and will be officially adopted later this morning 🥳

Noe ~ 4 month old American Pitbull Terrier. Noe is one of Jalene's puppies that was born here in March. He was also adopted the day before we left for vacation (what was going on that day?!) and was returned a week ago. It sounds like the adopters were just not ready to deal with a puppy. Noe is all fun and love and puppy energy. He is still learning all the things. He will need patience and understanding, as he figures out boundaries and expectations. He's just a baby, after all. Noe has a meet-and-greet this morning with a couple that has been waiting a week to meet him 🥳

07/27/2024

Baby Baritone and his sisters are taking applications!

Floof balls coming at you!!! Run, don’t walk to the website to apply for these cuties! These guys were raised by some amazing bottle feeding fosters over the last 7 weeks, and are about ready to leave the nest. They’re taking applications now and will be ready to go home next weekend!

Check them out and apply today at www.sfcva.org 🐾

07/26/2024

Monday, I told a foster friend that I felt like I was going through bottle baby withdrawal. After I returned home from vacation, I was waking up in the middle of the night, thinking that I had a hungry foster to feed. My brother always liked to tell me that it only takes 2 weeks to make a habit. Maybe there is something behind that: Can bottle babies become a habit? 🤔

Late Tuesday morning, while at the library with my kids, I received a message from the President and lead medical foster asking if I was available to take a neonate kitten. 'Sure' was my immediate response without really thinking about the details. I didn't have any supplies with me, and I didn't even think about the fact that I'd be traveling again in a couple weeks. I guess I knew I'd be able to pull something together.

This little solo kitten was surrendered to the Spotsy Animal Shelter, I'm not sure of all the details, but he came in with multiple cats and kittens of various ages but he was the only one this young. He was paired up with a mom cat that had much older kittens that needed to be weaned, but luckily, she still had enough milk to keep him going as the shelter looked for a rescue that could help. He was surviving with her help, but not thriving. The shelter allowed me to bundle him up in this blanket, and away we went. (The sweet young mom cat is still weighing heavily on my mind, and I hope to find a way to repay her for saving this kitten's life very soon).

I have named him Fortissimo, Mo for short, which means 'very loud' in the music world. Right now, he does not appreciate being fed formula, and he fights against it with everything his little kitten body possesses (you would be surprised how tenacious a 180g one week old kitten can be). After a few days and a couple tube feeding, I can get him to latch, but not before he screams at me for forcing the rubber and syringe upon him. He is the first kitten that I have had to 'purrito' to bottle feed. Hopefully, we will find our groove soon 😅

Please welcome Fortissimo to the Breshike Foster Crew! He's a little fighter. I'm positive that is what has gotten him so far.