Her name was Fergie, she had been at the shelter for almost two years. She was rescued from a local town shelter at only six months old. A family wanted to adopt her, but never came to pick her up, that was almost two years ago.
I had just started at Little Shelter, and it wasn’t an instant connection with Fergie, I don’t know how or when it happened, but soon I was spending every minute I could with her. Little Shelter was doing everything they could for her, featuring her in newspapers, printing big posters of her and bringing them to adoption events, but an extra push was needed.
I slowly started bringing Fergie home for sleepovers, I had two other dogs at home, and Fergie did not like other dogs. After a few times being separated at my home, I finally introduced them to one another, the moment was tense as both my dogs are considerably smaller than Fergie. Fergie slowly looked at my dogs then to me as if saying “I trust you.” Since that point Fergie has gotten along with countless dogs, not all, but many.
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At that moment I decided it was time to foster Fergie, she would no longer have to sleep in a kennel every night. I don’t think she needed me as much anymore, but I needed her more than ever. Never did the thought cross my mind that I was doing her a favor, I simply loved her and she made me happy. I don’t know what it was but it seemed like the two of us were supposed to find one another. At home she was my shadow, following me wherever I went, and crying when she couldn’t see me.
It was the greatest two months of my life, Fergie excelled at everything placed before her. Then out of the blue two months later I received a call, a family wanted to meet Fergie. I was still fostering her, and couldn’t adopt her, I was hesitant and glad at the same moment. If it went well with this family I could lose her, but it also meant she would have a true home.
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In the end it went great with the family. They had a feral dog that didn’t trust people but felt comfortable around other dogs, Fergie would be helping this other dog by simply being it’s friend.
I couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye to her, I simply gave her the biggest kiss on her nose. On my way home I cried, I couldn’t sleep that night due to not feeling her lay next to me on my bed. It was worse than any break up I had ever gone through, I still miss her to this day and pretty sure I always will.
I’ll never regret fostering her, the heartbreak may be immense but selfless. She saved me, and in turn that empty kennel space of hers at the shelter was now open for another dog to be rescued. People will ask why did you let her go if you cared for her that much? The truth is I cared about her more than anyone will ever know, her being adopted by another family may not have been what I wanted, but it is what she deserved.
Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center
