If I Don’t, Who Will?

by John Flores

August 19, 2014

in Amber, Charlie, Jude, Kurtis, Lucy, Main, Shadow

3 Comments

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The longer I foster (and I haven’t been doing it that long compared to most people in animal rescue) the more I hear the question(s), “How do you do it?” “Don’t you get attached?” The short answer to those questions are, “Because if I don’t, who will?” and “Yes, absolutely. 100%”

I think I’ve negotiated with myself into how I could keep every foster that comes through my house. It’s impossible to not get attached, In fact, if you’re not getting attached, you probably shouldn’t foster. You gotta remember, you’re taking in a dog that nobody wants. You’re taking in an animal that needs to know discipline, manners and love all at the same time. That’s a lot of energy and time to invest into a living breathing being to NOT get attached, especially knowing that once this animal is all better, they will be leaving you. However, when I look back at my fosters this is what I see….

I see Kurtis, a dog that nobody wanted who looked like he had his face burned off because his infection was so bad. Now he’s in Arizona being spoiled and letting cats lick his face. Did I mention his family drove from Arizona to California TWICE. Once to meet him and once to come adopt him.

I see Shadow, an emaciated dog who had been starving for months who is now probably pushing 100lbs and taking vacations in Lake Tahoe while sleeping in a nice comfy hotel room when he’s not living in his mansion.

I see Lucy, a dog that was abandoned off the streets of Mexico who now has a vacation house in Havasu and her own Instagram account.

I see Charlie, a 3 legged senior beagle whose family drove 8 hours to come adopt him and is spending his best years in a loving home with a loving family.

I see Jude, a dog who is pretty much allergic to the world, came to me hairless and now has a mom who saw past his baldness and adopted an amazing dog.

I see Amber, a dog who was dumped at the shelter because she had mange to only be adopted by a family who was willing to put on a gown and gloves to come visit her until she was ready for adoption. However, they did not wait. They insisted on adopting her and took over for her medical care until she was better.

I could go on and on but I think you get my point. At one point in our lives or another we’ve felt that feeling of being alone, the feeling of being let down. The feeling of wanting to be accepted, whether that is with a family member, a loved one or the kids at school. I think we’ve all known that feeling to be “promised” love only to have that same person(s) let us down the second things got tough. We’ve all been that cute puppy that gets left behind for “something better”. And it hurts. It hurts bad. We want someone to just give a damn about us. We want someone to fight for us, no matter what. Maybe this is why I do it, because I know that feeling. And while you learn to move on and get on with your life, the feeling of someone breaking your heart and letting you down never really heals. You just kind of learn to move on. The only difference is that these dogs pay the price of being unwanted with their lives. There’s nobody to fight for them except the same species that breeds them, abuses them and ultimately kills them. I do this because I would want someone to do it for me.