This morning, sipping my morning coffee, I open my inbox to an array of photos from Zoë's new foster mom Kym. Among these images, professional headshots! Ha! I am loving it. Not that it would take a professional to capture the beauty of this dog...but it certainly helps.
Also, I want to share with you a beautiful and thoughtful email from Kym:
This is the true story of how one man’s simple act and decision to not turn a blind eye changed the course of two dogs in rural Georgia, an area that dogs seldom live past the age of 5 due to the harsh realities of being a dog in the rural south. It is also the story of how a community of folks decided to not accept the status quo and how I was lucky enough to become a part of it all. I hope you will take the time to read about it.
In June of this year, Officer Bruce Petit drove by a field where he saw something not quite right, and he did what so many of us often hesitate to do, he stopped and looked to see what was there. And what he saw still brings some sadness to my heart—two female pit bulls on chains shorter than the average dog leash with a litter of dead puppies and food strewn about, both just out of reach of the dogs. And even though Bruce believed, as he would tell me in his own words months later, that all pit bulls should be shot dead on the spot, he decided in this instant to give these two girls a chance. Over the next few weeks many other people chose to step in including a kind vet where the dogs were boarded, the local district attorney who made it her mission to get both these dogs into forever homes, and many others who walked and socialized the dogs while they were being boarded. The dogs were most likely used as fight and/or bait dogs in the brutal world of dog fighting, which is rampant in the deep south, but as those who committed themselves to rescuing these two girls quickly realized, they bore few emotional scars of their past lives, instead oozing appreciation to all those willing to give them a second chance.
One day, I was perusing a website I frequent, www.bestfriends.org, and saw their story. I read that they were still in need of fostering and/or permanent homes. Zack and I have been fostering dogs since March of this year and have realized how satisfying and totally doable it is to get dogs that many would overlook, into their forever homes. I decided to email Kelly, the district attorney in the case, a fellow dog lover and the advocate of these two dogs to see if they were still in need of foster. What I was hoping to hear was that they had both found their happily ever after. After all, I wasn’t totally sure I wanted to get involved with possible former fight dogs and a group of folks I had never met and thought perhaps I had nothing in common with, but instead within a few hours of sending my email I heard from Kelly that these two dogs were still waiting. At that point I had to decide if I wanted to turn a blind eye or take the next step and get involved. And with the support of the group that Zack and I foster with and the unquestioning thumbs up from Zack, I took the plunge. I started working with Bruce and Kelly to get the dogs assessed in order to determine the best fit for our home where we already have two dogs and one cat. They were happy to do whatever it took to get one of these dogs to Oregon for foster. After speaking with Bruce, “just a simple redneck trying to do the right thing,” and lots of emails with Kelly it was decided that Sallie would come to Oregon. Between the heartworm treatment she would need and planning her transport out here, it would still be months until I actually met her, but as the days and weeks went on, I knew more and more that she would do well out here. Finally after an unending amount of hard work on Kelly’s part, Sallie flew to Portland, OR on Thursday, October 22 where I drove to pick her up and meet her for the first time. She’s such a beautiful laid-back girl, it was like we were old friends. She laid peacefully in the back seat of my car listening to music with me and gently taking french fries when I offered them.
Sallie, who has been renamed Zoë to give her some west coast flare, has been in our house for only four days, but she’s already become one of the pack. She plays never ending chase and tug o war with Wheelie and allows Lucy, our little princess, to choose when she can play with her. She greets every person as if they are an old friend. Zoë’s tail hasn’t stopped wagging since she’s gotten here and wags even harder when she sees Fatty, the cat, who she likes to give soft licks to before leaving her alone. She doesn’t ask for a whole lot, just some occasional food and water and lots of pets. We are working to get Zoë into her forever home and have no doubt it will happen. And until then, I get the opportunity to hang out with a dog that reminds me that the past doesn’t matter so much as long as you can enjoy today. And we are making sure Zoë gets to enjoy everyday
Thank you to Bruce, Kelly, Vicki and Dr. Ford who took that first scary step to get involved and to not accept the status quo. Thank you to Zack for never once saying, no, but always saying of course and to Jerleen, Jenn, Melissa, Susan and Kay for making it seem like there was no decision making at all as to whether or not Zoë should come out to rescue in Oregon with All For Dogs Rescue. And of course thank you to Lucy, Fatty and Wheelie for allowing yet another dog to share their snuggle time and playtime.
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