It’s been over a month since we lost Simon. I think about him every day, and I miss him every moment. There isn’t a single thing I own that I wouldn’t give up to have him back. It gets easier, as time goes on, to focus on all the good memories he left us with, and smile. Somedays it still hits me harder than others, though.
We’ve mourned in a variety of ways… we framed some of our favorite pictures and hung them. His picture is the wallpaper for both my computer and my phone, so that I can still see him every day. Next week I’ll finally be getting a tattoo that I’ve been procrastinating on for years, part of which includes two little paw prints, one for Simon and one for Kaylee. Still though, I found myself looking for something more pro-active and constructive to do in his memory. With all of his health problems, we spent so much time and energy helping him. And now he’s gone and we can’t help him anymore.
But there are other dogs that need help. So in Simon’s honor, Britanny and I have connected with our local no-kill shelter, and volunteered as a foster home for animals in need. Not all animals that come through shelters are immediately ready for adoption, and the shelters don’t have the space to house them all. Some are too young, some are recovering from injuries, and some have been neglected and need a chance to socialize before they’re ready to be adopted. This is where foster homes come in.
The permanant spot in our home and our lives still very much belongs to Simon, and it’s going to be a long time before we’re ready to adopt a new dog. However we love animals, and we feel that with as much love as Simon gave us, this is the best way we can honor that gift. We can be there to help these animals during a crucial transition period, and help get them ready to find a loving forever home.
Yesterday we were called in for our first assignment. This is Khloe, and her two-week-old puppy Korra.
Khloe is a maltese whose former owners were hobby or “backyard” breeders. She was surrendered to the shelter along with some other dogs after they had to vacate their home.
Korra is far too young to be put up for adoption, and still needs her mom. So they will be staying with us in our spare bedroom for the next six weeks while Korra grows up. Then both mom and pup will go back to the shelter to get ready for adoption. They’re both incredibly sweet dogs, and I’m certain they’ll find loving homes quickly.
Fostering can be a fairly big commitment of both time and energy, and is not for everyone (though if the idea interests you, I strongly urge you to look into programs in your area). However most of these shelters rely heavily on volunteers and donations for their daily operations, and the care of these animals. Everything helps, from volunteering to walk the dogs, or just buying an extra bag of dog/cat food to donate. Do a search for local animal shelters in your town to find out what ways you can make a difference in the lives of these animals.