And Then There Were None

By Alecia


We hear it at least once at every adoption event: "Isn't it hard to give them up?" The answer? Well of course it is!  But at the same time it is also really easy... 



September 1st an email was sent to our group: 
"Pregnant dog. Has milk. She is at pound. Can anyone help?"

Momma at the Pound

We all became frantic. Milk means puppies soon and we hate seeing puppies born at the pound when they could be born in one of our loving foster homes instead. Being in a home means less exposure to harmful pathogens, more hands-on care and better socialization as they continue to grow. Unfortunately, the pound just does not have the same resources for a puppy that a home can provide. Especially in terms of around the clock snuggling!

Momma and I having a heat-to-heart

My foster had just been adopted out the night before so I was browsing the list of dogs that needed pulled when the email came through. "Well," I thought. "I've whelped a litter before... I'm sure it's just like riding a bike." A big, stupid grin flooded my face at the thought of canoodling some adorable newborn pups for the first time in a long time. I replied to the email letting them know I would be more than happy to have the mom-to-be in my home... And then reluctantly emailed my fiance so he wouldn't be so surprised when he came home from work to see what I had done.




My fiance, Cory, has been diligently at my side through all of our fosters, which at that point, had broken sixty.  He loves helping the animals but also wants to take breaks here and there. The only problem with that is that unfortunately, irresponsible owners NEVER take breaks so there is always a constant influx of dogs and cats at the local pounds. One trick that I've learned that you are more than welcome to use if you are fostering or plan to foster: let him name the dog. :P


Such a happy Momma!
Cory has always had a fascination with Halloween and horror stories so once I told him the pups should be ready to go home around Halloween, he was sold. A chance to name a whole litter? Of course, we know that very few of our names stick after adoption but it is always still exciting to name them, even just for the short term. Our Momma dog had become "Mary Shelley" as the mother of horror although we could find no name that fit her better than "Momma."



Trick, just a few minute old
We had Momma for 19 days before those beautiful puppies had dropped. It really was like riding a bike! When all was said and done, we had six stunningly handsome males and two sweet females. We called them our Monster Mash litter. I was fascinated with them. Every two weeks I set up a photo shoot (yes, I am that lame) so that I could share photos with potential adopters, but also, so that I could have a TON of photos for my own memories. These puppies were amazing. Well mannered, slept through the night, very quiet and always eliminated on the paper rather than on bedding or the regular floor. They really were perfect pups.



Jekyll/ Hyde, 2 weeks old

At the eight week mark, they were all ready to go home. I emailed each family lined up to adopt one of the babes and made appointments so they could each spend time with the puppy and ask any questions they may have before leaving my home with their new addition. I had to pry the puppy from each and every family's arms to get the paperwork done, but I knew it was only because they were going to love that little furry beast with everything that they have got! By the time the families had left my home, I felt that I knew them personally and that they had just become an extension of my own family. All were wonderful, all had beautiful gifts they could offer my puppies.


Ichabod, 4 weeks old
After all of the puppies had gone to their respective homes it was time for Momma to meet her new family. Her future mom and dad sat on my couch and Momma made a bee line for their laps. As soon as she was all snuggled in, she began kissing their faces and remained that way while they got to know her through interacting with her and asking me questions from their smiling lips. It was an immediate love and I knew it would be an enduring love. 

Elvira, 6 weeks old



In just three days I had gone from caretaker and lover of eight puppies and their amazing mother to my normal life filled with an amazing fiance and a much quieter home. The only difference? In my "new" normal life, I now have nine new families that have become my own and nine new sets of paw prints that have danced around my heart. 


So is it hard to see them go? You bet! But I am happy to see them through to their new life and even more happy to know that now I can open my home again to help out the next dog that is down on their luck. It's a rescue "Circle of Life" that I am happy to be a part of, no matter how bittersweet it may be. 
Frankenstein, now Jack, 8 weeks old in his forever home!

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"Blind Amazingness"

By Alecia

One thing that a lot of people may not know about the rescue groups in Akron is that we work really closely together. Summit County Animal Control has not had to euthanize a dog for space reasons in nearly four years because of the great network that we have established here in Akron. We all share responsibility for these animals, we all share the heartache of a new animal coming in and the relief of one going to a new home. Because of this, it is not uncommon to ask each other for a little help now and again. 

A couple weeks ago we were contacted by the Humane Society of Greater Akron (HSGA) who was becoming over-full this month. HSGA has helped us out immeasurably over the years, so of course, we wanted to do everything that we could to help them out. We were sent a list of their "long-timers," some of which had been there for going on a year or longer. We passed this list on to our fosters in hopes that some would see a cat or dog that they could not turn down and that they would kick their husband out to make room for. ;)

It worked. 

Now, one thing you may not know about us is that we have quite a few fosters that have a soft spot for seniors. Heck, it's not even a soft spot, it's a big, huge, empty void that can only be filled with a big, huge, sweetly aged senior! For those fosters, we found just the right guy: OLAF!


Olaf is the senior of all seniors; aged to perfection! Unfortunately, most people will not see it this way. Most families looking for a new companion want just that; a "new" companion, not a "used" one. Olaf had been with the HSGA since May, undoubtedly passed up for the cute little puppies and the youthful jogging partners just a cage or two down. It is always hard on us as rescuers to see seniors at the local pound. We always invent a rich back story for them, imagining the great fun they had skipping about the yard as a young pup, the sweet children they may have nestled as an adolescent and the loyalty they had carried with them as an adult; all to find themselves in this sad place as a senior. We know that in most places they are the first on the chopping block. This is why, when we saw Olaf's listing, we could not let him fall through the cracks.


Olaf already had the chips stacked against him. We all know about Black Dog Syndrome and not only is Olaf a black dog, he is a senior. And not only is Olaf a senior... He is also blind.

No one has ever said that rescue is easy. Let me tell you, it certainly is not. When do you stop telling someone "Oh, he's still got a few good years left in him!" When do you stop crying "It's ok, he adjusts really well to new environments without his eyesight!" To have a dog that you love and care for so deeply that you feel he is your own, even though he is not... And to see that same dog continually rejected by potential adopters. That is disheartening.  When do you stop saying to yourself "I know his new family is out there!" The answer: Never. You NEVER give up.

Olaf is a very, very special boy. We know that his perfect home is out there and we will not stop searching for it until it is found. Such an upbeat and happy boy deserves a happy ending, after all. :)


 Thank you for reading, Rescuers! If Olaf's story has touched you, please pass this on to friends and family. The more people that see Olaf, the greater his chances are at finding his retirement home! :)

If you think you may want to add Olaf to your home, please complete our online application. You can find the link to it under "Our Links" near the top of this page.



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