My husband and I grew up around animals. Dogs, cats, birds, fish, hamsters, gerbils...between the two of us, we've had a variety of pets. But dogs have always been a big favorite for us both.
One of the things my husband told me many times while we were hunting for our first home was that he couldn't wait to own a home with a fenced in yard so that we could get a black lab. So after we purchased our first home, and settled in, I began researching Labrador Retrievers, breeders, and dogs/puppies in general.
After much research, I filled out applications with a number of breeders in our area. If you've never purchased a dog from a breeder, its quite the experience. All responsible breeders want to be sure that their pups are going to be placed in a loving and permanent home. At times during the application and interview process, I wondered if these breeders knew I just wanted to purchase a puppy, not adopt a child or work in a top secret government office. Eventually I found a breeder I liked and the week before Christmas, I took my husband to see the available puppies, and we came home with Sparky.
Fast forward a few years...
Sparky was enjoying life as an only dog, but we realized that he loved to be around and play with other dogs. So we started looking for a companion for Sparky. I spent many hours on Petfinder looking for a great addition to our family. But instead of adopting a dog, I ended up volunteering for a local rescue group, Eleveth Hour Rescue. I loved it from the start, working adoption events, interacting with the people, meeting the transport that carried dogs from high kill shelters, and fostering. It didn't take long for us to become attached to one of our fosters and so we adopted her. Despite the hard life Nellie had before she came to us, she loved us and our 2 little boys, but most importantly she and Sparky got along great. I didn't get to volunteer with Eleventh Hour Rescue for very long, because a few months after I started volunteering, we decided to move from NJ to TN.
Once we moved to TN I began looking for a rescue group to work with. I had a difficult time finding one that was as great as Eleventh Hour Rescue. I tried a few different groups, but they just weren't what I was looking for. It took almost a year before I finally found a group I am happy to work with, Paws4Rescue. There are no adoption events or interacting with the public, and I really do miss that. But the work my family is doing is just as important. We are fostering dogs that have been saved from high kill shelters. These dogs get to stay with us until they are able to be transported to their new homes or a rescue group in the Northeastern United States. Each dog we foster is unique and we love them while they are with us and try to teach them as much as we can before they leave for their new homes. Some days are good, like when the new foster dog decides he/she can trust you and does something cute like trying to sit on your lap despite the fact that he/she is way too big. Some days are frustrating, like when the puppy pees on the carpet for the millionth time that day. But each day is special, and each dog brings so much joy to our family that I can't imagine not having a foster dog in our house.
In addition to fostering dogs, I am in the process of becoming certified by the National Animal Control Association (NACA). Although I am not currently an Animal Control Officer or am I entirely sure that it is a career I wish to pursue, NACA's courses offer a wealth of information.
