Dear Bri,

by John Flores

Usually when a foster gets adopted I write them a letter to their new owner. However, this time is different. Little Baby Rose, the itty bitty pitty, who was pulled from a high kill shelter with mange, pneumonia, and staph infection ended up staying with my girlfriend to help ease the workload at my house. This was her first medical foster and she saw her recovery from beginning to end. To say Rose was the perfect dog is an understatement and even though we found the PERFECT home for her, it was out of state which made this even harder for her. Ironically enough, the family that adopted her adopted my first medical foster. You may remember him, his name was Kurtis. I know what she’s feeling so instead of a letter to Rose, today my letter is to my beautiful, big hearted and pit bull loving girlfriend…

Dear Bri,

Hello my love. I know it’s been a few days since Rose has been in her new home and I know how hard this must be for you. I remember the day Kurtis left. EVERYTHING reminded me of him. I broke down when I saw his empty crate. Penny and Elvis were looking for him and sniffing around the house. Little reminders of him were all over the place. It wasn’t just my first foster but it was theirs, too. I know they felt my sadness but I know they felt my happiness, too. The job as a foster parent isn’t the easiest thing, especially with the medical cases. You take this journey with them and you are by their side through it all. You have to weather those moments where you think they may not make it but you also get to bask in those moments when they pull through and get better. The longer they stay the more attached you get. I’m sure it didn’t make things any easier seeing how she got along with Bella, Fawn and the rest of your family. She was and is the perfect dog.

I remember the day you sent me her picture in the pound and you told me not to leave without her and that’s exactly what I did. You’ve loved every foster I’ve had but Rose was different. I could tell in the way you looked at her. In some crazy way, the universe brought you two together. This wasn’t by accident. This was supposed to happen. And even though she stayed with me a few weeks, she didn’t really start getting better until she went to your house. You put your blood, sweat and tears into her and every single bit of it helped her get better. But the day I told you she was probably going to be with Kurtis in Arizona I could see the combination of tears and joy in your face. I know you spent days and nights trying to figure out if you could just have her stay with you. And trust me, it wouldn’t have been a bad choice but I think you knew that Rose going to Arizona with Kurtis would be better.

The road trip to Arizona must have been quite the emotional journey for you. This once sick puppy who had escaped death was now in full health and on her way to her forever home. I watched you cry, laugh and cry again the whole way there. There were times I just wanted to turn the car around and just let you have her but sometimes the right thing to do is the hardest thing to do. But I know you know Kurtis as well as anyone and his family had accepted the fact that he could never actually live with another dog…until Rose. You see, if there’s anyone that needs Rose more than you, it’s Kurtis. Kurtis needs that perfect dog to help him relax. And at the end of the day, I hope you realize that Rose is who she is because of you. There’s everything in her that I love about you. Not only is she beautiful but she’s loving, sweet, playful and will let Kurtis feel like a man when she needs to. J Kurtis needs that from her like I need that from you. Rose is a direct reflection of you. If you ever wanted to know what your heart looked like, you need only to look at Rose.

As the days go by, this will get easier. Not because you forgot about her but because you know you did the right thing. We will go visit her as often as we can and I know Donna is probably sending you pictures as I write this.

I know you said on the way home that you didn’t think you had the strength to do this again and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ve told you before; if part of your heart doesn’t break when you adopt out your foster then you probably shouldn’t be doing it. There will never be another Rose but these fosters are like snowflakes. None of them are ever the same but nothing will compare to the first one you care for. She’s made you stronger, smarter and that empty spot she’s left in your heart is now waiting for a new foster, whenever that time may be. And when the time comes you will know. Trust me, another dog will find you like Rose did.

I love you, babe. Now get your butt over here. I have a bunch of fosters here that could use some of that heart.

Love,

John, Penny, Elvis, Wally, Snack Pak and Fletcher.

John Flores

Recommended Posts

Through No Fault of Their Own Part V

September 12, 2017

A Letter To The Men of Pawsitive Change at Corcoran State Prison

September 06, 2017

No Fault of Their Own Part IV

August 22, 2017