Fostering a Golden Girl

[Logan]

I received this email this morning and promptly forwarded it to Scott, in Ohio, to see what he had to say.

"FHGRR has had a very busy summer with intakes...and our applications
have been fewer than normal. In fact, a few weekends ago, 2 members
transported 7 of FHGRR's goldens to a rescue in the northeast that
is in just the opposite situation.
Our situation is so desperate at the moment that we are referring
most of our owner surrender dogs to other rescues and only taking in
shelter dogs and emergencies. We currently have 4 females, from 7
months to 6 years that are in shelters with their time running out
and we need fosters for them. If you can help us and open you heart
and home to foster one of these gals, please contact... I took out the contact information

Desperate times call for desperate measures.. we certainly do not
want to shut our rescue doors to all goldens, but we desperately
need help.

Thank you....."

This is a similar situation to what there was when Zipper was pulled from animal control and came to stay with us for a while. Well, he stayed, permanently, and I don't think I can let that happen again, right now, but Scott agreed that if we can save a life, we need to do it, bless his heart. Because of us having the puppy (Mack) and Butter (kitty), and these Golden girls have not been temperment tested, it looks like we will not be taking one of these new ones, but will take over fostering of "Gracie", a one year old Golden girl, whose foster dad has to leave town next week for a while. I really don't have any doubts about Honey and Lilly, as they have always been so gentle and good with any foster we have had. As long as Gracie can be kind to them, we will welcome her into our home. You can see Gracie under "Available Goldens" at www.fhgrr.com .

I don't know how many members we have within driving distance of Greenville, SC, but if you are out there and would consider becoming a foster home for our Golden Retriever Rescue, please let me know. They desperately need help in order to save these Goldens.

Logan

[Rachel]

Be careful, Logan. Gracie is beautiful and looks like she has all those golden attributes which makes one IRRESISTIBLE. That look already seems to say, *Please, can I stay? I promise I'll be good.*

Good on you for once again stepping up to the plate. Just wish you could make this your full time calling.

[Pam]

Logan bless your heart (and Scott's too). How could you say no, but as Rachel said, you'd better be careful. Gracie looks like a keeper. I personally was drawn to Pammie, and it is not just the name. teehee! She has the same look on her face that I often see on Bella. I hope all of these precious dogs find homes.

[Logan]

I always have said that I know my limits, but, you know what happened with Zipper! We just have to help them out, though. We just HAVE to.

[Cincy'sMom]

What a great looking group of dogs!! You are amazing to be helping out.

Send me that cute little fluff ball Carson...I'm sure Ralph couldn't turn him away if he was on our doorstep

[BC_MoM]

Eeeeeek! What a cutie!!

[K9karen]

Ugh. I'm saying that because now I'm feeling guilty in my current situation for not being able to foster.
Pammie, my friend, I chose Pammie too, and not because of the name!!!
Logan, Gracie is ADORABLE! Look at that tongue! Honestly, I'd have a hard time choosing any of them! You and Scott are such good souls.

[lizbud]

Logan,

What a kind and loving thing to do. Gracie at 1 yr old might make a
good playmate for Mack. I am so glad you were able to help out even
though you have a house full of furries already. Best of luck with the
fostering.

I was drawn to this guy Bourbon, Doesn't that picture make you want
to hug him?


http://www.fhgrr.com/Availabledogs/Bourbon.html

[Logan]

Scott got this sweet picture of Gracie over the weekend. She was begging across the gate, wanting to be where he was!

Her head is filthy because she and Mack have dug out every single potted plant I had on my deck, plus they slobber on each other, constantly!

She will probably be here for a while. No updates on potential families for her yet. But all is well.

Logan

[gini]

Scott? Taking pictures of Gracie? Hmmm, sounds very encouraging to me!!

She is a real sweetheart isn't she?

[Logan]

She is a sweetheart, Gini, but she needs to go, and soon! If not, she is going to be so attached to us, and us to her, that it is going to too hard to let her leave us! She needs to go. We need our 3 so that we can foster again and I can fall in love, all over again, you know.

If he said he wanted her to stay, I would say "thank you" and send my money to the rescue, but I think they would prefer to see a youngster like her placed in a forever home and hold out for us to take in an older one, eventually, which would suit me fine. My only problem is that I see how well she has done in the last two (almost two) weeks, and I worry about another adjustment for her. She was an owner turn in and had one foster home, prior to us, for less than a week. That's a lot of adjusting for a young girl like Gracie.

Logan

[lizbud]

I admire your foster skills Logan. I would love to do foster work, but I
know myself to well by now. I'd probably just get attached & want to keep
everyone.

[Logan]

Liz, this is where I got to, mentally, tonight, while Lilly and I were on our very first "therapy" visit, which has been too long coming.

It is hard to even think of letting Gracie go, but she needs to go to a family where she can be active and the center of attention. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm ready to have Honey and Lilly be the center of attention for a while. They have waited, patiently, through a multitude of fosters before I met Scott, then Murphy, Zipper, Mack and now Gracie (and of course the addition of Butter, years ago). They deserve some "Mom" time.

I would keep Gracie in a heartbeat, but what I know is that there is another Golden Retriever out there who will be harder to place, who is older, or has a health problem, who needs us much more than Miss Gracie does. Maybe I'm getting a little wiser in my old age, but I'm learning about this fostering. Will I cry when she leaves? You'd better believe it, but I know she will only be placed in a home where everything has checked out, perfectly, and where she fits. And then when they need us to foster again, we'll have room. If we keep her, we can't help them anymore, because we would truly be at our limit.

Y'all just say a prayer that Gracie finds her perfect home, where she will be loved just as much as she is loved here. If that happens, then she will be just fine!!!! I have to believe that or I couldn't do this.

Love,
Logan, Mack, Honey, Lilly and Gracie

[Logan]

The sweet angel is back home now and I am amazed at how well she is doing. Lilly was a mess after her spay, throwing up, constantly, and so wiped out that she couldn't even walk. Gracie just cried and cried when she saw me. She is lying at my feet, right now, and I can tell, she is ready to go to sleep. She's having a hard time keeping her head up. Butter is sitting about one foot from her head, so I know she must be tired because she isn't even reacting to him! LOL!!

We have volleyball tonight, so I will crate Gracie or I might gate her in Mack's bathroom, so she will have more space.

Thanks for the prayers, everyone. They worked, and although our girl has a bald belly, she is going to be just fine!!

I love her so much.

Logan

[Rachel]

Gracie just cried and cried when she saw me.

I love her so much.

Oh, dear, the future separation might be more difficult than I anticipated ...for both of you. Sometimes I feel like I'm living through this myself. I guess they call that empathy.