The Slippery Slope of 2012

When I started volunteering for New Rattitude as Adoption Coordinator I had decided that I could also volunteer to "petsit" any dogs who needed a temporary place to stay until their permanent foster spot opened up. Sometimes a foster parent was on vacation when her foster dog was transported to WA or their previous foster dog might not have gone home yet and so I might have been needed to just hold on to their next foster dog for a few days until the spot opened up. I always made it clear that I was not going to be able to foster AND do the AC duties. My choices of what I was able to do have always been respected by our state coordinators and other NR volunteers. In 2011 there was a couple of times where it made sense for me to officially foster a couple of the dogs we were temping so I decided I better become an official foster parent just in case and so began the "fostering light" decision. LOL Well I had been told that fostering light could be a slippery slope but I held to the decision that I was not going to foster full time. Fast foward....one thing led to another and we proved the theory of the slippery slope and into full time fostering we slid. We could not be enjoying our selves more! It began with Gauge and we haven't come up for air yet. And in January of 2013 we will have not 1 not 2 but 3 foster pups, and I mean puppies! My husband and I look forward to 2013 full of fostering, and ACing, temping and pet sitting adopted NR dogs when their people go on vacation at times too! Yup the slippery slope is real and it is quite the fun ride!!!! We are so blessed to be able to help these dogs along their way and although each dog has a special place in our hearts and saying goodbye to them can fell a little weird at first, it is all worth it to know these deserving dogs have the life they should have had all along. Second and sometimes third chances do exsist and our lives are fuller for knowing and loving these dogs.

Luke was our first official foster boy. We fostered him before starting this blog.

Here is Luke with his sister Leia The cool think about this adoption was Luke and Leia are siblings and they were able to be adopted together, given a special circumstance by NR for an adopter to adopt 2 dogs at the same time. They have  fabulous home in Alaska where they both continue to sleep together and run on the beach and are dearly loved by their people. This is such a happy story.

Because each dog were in separate foster homes and before being in rescue had never been apart, they had really been missing each other, this was their reunion before they were put on the plane to make their way to their forever home in Alaska. It was such a great morning watching them reconnect.

Gauge the first time we met him, he now enjoys boating/fishing and going for walks in E WA with his human companion who adores him.

Mingus (right) with our dog Birdie, he now lives in Seattle and actually has a fan club and is a shop dog where he will never be neglected again. His mom knew what he needed and boy did she provide it for him, lots and lots of human and dog interaction, coupled with her love and devotion to him.  He is a happy boy.

Oskar was with us the longest time, 6 months, but we didn't mind at all having him as part of our family until his mom came along. He got to go on a plane to OR for Christmas and meet his human grandma who also adores him. He has a big extended family now with dogs and even a bunny. We could not be happier for Oskar and his mom, who is a special special woman who loves black dogs and she has made all of Oskar's dreams for a forever home come true!

Oskar and his big brown eyes.

Little Vespa the tri-pawed sweetie, enjoys life with her two wonderful moms and fur sis Elphie, in Renton, WA. Vespa shows everyone that tri-pawed dogs are not disabled and she has a special place in her mom's hearts and we could not be happier for her.

Vespa and Elphie on their mom's bed where I hear they like to play and play in the pillows!

Chevette, what a doll. This congenial little sprite is now enjoying her forever life with Jake aka Sammy who is a NR alumni and his parents in E WA.