It's apropos then that, my first blog post in months, is about a foster.
Meet Karl.
It was about 7:00 in the morning when the dawgs started going bonkers out the front window. When they do this, it's usually one of two things: a cat hanging out on our front lawn or a squirrel, probably mocking them from the front porch rail. This particular morning, the barking didn't stop and I was forced to get out of bed to chase said squirrel off the property. Effin' Squirrels, I thought as I dragged my bum out of my cozy, warm bed.
Instead I saw this face in the window.
This is not the first loose dog I have encountered in our neighborhood. I know the old & mostly deaf black lab mix who got out that one time when the dude with the pug in the stroller let me know where he lived and I returned him to his yard. I know the blind white german shepherd whose fence is not 100% secure and regularly wanders the couple blocks around her house. I have followed dogs back to their homes, enlisted the help of neighbors to take over the search when I had to go to work. I have closed my store to return a customer's dog who wandered over to their local pet store. I'm an old pro at helping dogs find their way back home.
But there was nothing about Karl that fit any of those normal, helping a neighbor get their dog back, scenarios. There could be a million stories that explain how Karl came to end up on my front porch that morning. The most likely is this: Karl was neglected, starved and he was likely dumped in our neighborhood.
This is the thing about dogs: their capacity to move forward & beyond their pasts inspires. Karl does not act like a neglected and abandoned dog. Karl is happy. He tosses his toys with wild abandon, fetches like a champ and more than anything, just wants our love and affection. He is not a sad case. Though his assumed past may bring tears to one's eyes and his condition may be shocking and hard to look at, his future is bright. Karl might have been thrown out like trash but this trash is well on his way to becoming someone else's treasure.
Within 48 hours of finding Karl, my good friends at Lovers Not Fighters Pit Bull Rescue stepped forward and offered to bring Karl into their rescue. I had posted in a volunteer group the truth about Karl's condition, in the hopes that rescue folks would have some contacts who could help. I never dreamed that he would receive an immediate offer of help. See, a dog in this condition can be difficult to place in rescue because he has a long (and possibly expensive) road to recovery. But that's what Lovers Not Fighters does best: rescuing those 'diamond in the rough' dogs who no one else gives a chance.
My store, NoPo Paws, will be donating 10% of profits during April (and possibly longer) to cover all of his needs. It was truly kismet that, late March, I had yet to line up an April recipient for my Featured Rescue program and was able to sponsor Karl's recovery.
Currently, Karl is staying with us as we look for a longer term foster or foster-to-adopt family for him. He is sweet & affectionate, intelligent, listens well and is eager to learn. It is truly an honor to have been the one to save him, albeit with a strong & amazing team supporting me. The future is bright, Mr. Karl!
