DoggieMom, I can really emphathize with how you feel. Everytime I have been to a shelter, I have stood there and started to sob. There is so much Need and so few resources. I too have a husband who feels that two is the maximum number of animals for our household. We have two dogs now and he won't even consider adding a cat. In our situation, deep down inside I know he is right. We both work and I don't seem to "keep up" with the housework as it is. Neither of my dogs feels that she/he gets enough personal attention either. Yet my passion in life would be to devote myself to rescue work and have an assorted number of waifs to help by fostering and healing their spirits. Because I don't drive, I can't do some of the other volunteer activities that others are involved with. One thing that I will say for the shelters is that they are really better than foster homes for the dogs to "be seen" and in that way have a chance to be adopted. The times I've been in the shelter near my home, there was a steady stream of people looking. But although it was clean, the cages with no opportunity to run and play or socialize with other dogs or go potty outside their cages, it is all so overwhelming to them and to us knowing what they must be going through.

Good luck with your precious Maddie (and I love that name). What does she look like?
Please keep us apprised of any developments as they occur.