My New Foster!!!

So as some of my lovely readers know, I've been involved in animal rescue for the past couple of years. It all started when Hurricane Katrina left such devastation to not only families, but furbabies throughout the Gulf Coast. There was a HUGE makeshift shelter set up on the LSU campus and I used to go two or three days a week after class to help with the little dogs-feeding, walking, changing water, cleaning kennels, moving dog food-whatever needed done. It was there that I fell in love with a beautiful little Pomeranian named "Peaches." No one was really sure how Peaches got to LSU but she did. She turned into my favorite little kiddo to visit everytime I went and she always smiled and kissed my hand through the kennel whenever she saw me. I even filled out an adoption application to give Peaches a home in the unfortunate event that her owner was not able to find her. Luckily, on one of the last days that the shelter was open, I happened to be there when Peaches' mom came to get her. They were both SO happy to see each other and it made me all warm and fuzzy inside to know that they were back together.

It was at this point, that I decided I wanted to be able to foster. I lived in an apartment so could only have small dogs. No problem, Payton probably wouldn't have been too keen about a huge golden retriever in her home anyway =) So I filled out an application with a Pomeranian rescue and before I knew it, I had my first foster-Toby the pomeranian. Later on I started fostering for a wonderful local (to Baton Rouge) rescue group. The lady who was head of the rescue is one of the most organized, caring, animal loving, people I have ever met. I began to foster for her the last year I was in Baton Rouge and absolutely loved it. Payton and I were blessed to get to know five beautiful little furbabies who now have wonderful homes thanks mainly to our rescue lady and a little TLC from me and Pay.

Once I moved back to the boonies I was quite bummed at the prospect I would no longer be able to foster with the group I had previously. I really liked working with them and the way the organization was set up, but being so far away, it made it pretty much impractical for us to try and set up a foster home back in north LA. So I had resigned myself that I wouldn't foster for awhile and wait until the right group/dog came along. Then out of the blue yesterday, the rescue lady from south LA emailed me to say there was a little long-haired chihuahua in north LA that she wanted me to foster if possible. Of course I jumped at the chance (even though my hubby isn't wild about "another" animal in the house).

Well today I got to pick up the beautiful Bella. She's only about 6 months old but has lived a really rough life for such an innocent little thing. She was basically kept in a closet for most of her life and is therefore pretty much blind. When a wonderful lady up in north LA rescued her, she was covered in fleas and pitifully skinny. She can see a little out of one eye but is far from being 100%. That being said, she is one of the sweetest and cutest little pups I've had the pleasure of being around. Bella's not quite sure what to think about Payton yet so we're slowing warming her up to the idea. Hopefully she'll start making some progress and be in tip top shape soon! Anyway, here is the sweet little trooper sniffing around out back yard. And I'm crossing my fingers that she will find the absolute perfect home in the very near future!