Fostering Chester

Those of you who have been reading this blog know how proud we were to send Abbie Faith, Duncan, Fairfax and Hilda to Dog Tags In Virginia, a 501 nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for Veterans suffering from PTSD and other disabilities.

Well, we’re sorry to say that Whitney from Last Chance Animal Rescue/Middle Mutts is in Virginia now to pick them up, as I type. And it’s not because Abbie Faith and the pups couldn’t cut it. It’s because animal control has closed down the organization Dog Tags, because the founders have gotten in over their heads.

SIGH.

Whitney has visited Dog Tags twice and has communicated often with their board of directors. Those who work at the McGuire VA animal hospital praise their work, and their 14 certified service dogs.

BUT, because of a series of unfortunate events (losing some foster homes; illness; etc.), the primary board member/foster parent was busted for having too many dogs in too small a space. From what I understand, she was in the process of constructing several 10×10 roofed pens for the dogs to stay in while completing their training, after which point they would live with their veterans.

Note to Dog Tags: Next time, construct the pens BEFORE you get 60+ new service dogs in training. Also, next time, admit your limitations and ask for help.

Scott: “This is a cautionary tale, Nicole.”

Me: “If I ever have 60+ fosters, please commit me.”

That said, I do understand how easy it is to get in over your head. After all, 18 dogs at one time was a lot. — now, granted, I had no way of knowing that Chester Iva would have SIXTEEN puppies.

Currently, I have five, although that’s not counting the three that friends are fostering for me.

Scott: “What happens when your friends go home for the holidays.”

Me: SIGH.

So, tomorrow, we’ll have an updated list of Fisk fosters for everyone to share. The goal: to find homes for them all before Christmas. Otherwise, they’ll be handed out as Christmas presents to friends and family. Let me know if you want to be on my Christmas list. Or not.

Isn’t the above painting fabulous? Kudos to Chester Z’s talented mother, Kathy Schrum Peck.

In the meantime, a special thanks to Whitney Knowlton for driving from New York to Virginia to get our Abbie Faith and pups. Foster-in-crime, Trina, and I are especially thankful, since we were <this close> to making plans to drive up to Virginia ourselves.

I, of course, had my sight set on the girls, Abbie Faith (above) and Hilda (below):

Trina had her sight set on “the boys” as she affectionately refers to Duncan and Fairfax:

Well, she also refers to them as Yin and Yang.

Wonder woman that Whitney is, she’s offered to take ALL the dogs from Dog Tags, and to find homes and rescues for them. This means that she’s paying $6500 in fees (since the dogs are being kenneled until they can be transported).

Please consider donating to Last Chance Animal Rescue, to help with the expense:

And send your best thoughts and wishes to Abbie Faith and pups! High hopes that they’ll be adopted at the next LCAR adoption event. And that we’ll get photos of each of them in their new homes as cute as this one:

Or this one:

Or, this one. See, below, one of the most recent photos of Cassie, Fisk Foster Z. (Remember: Kathy, artist of the fabulous Christmas present painting, is Cassie’s mother).

May all dogs be so loved that they get to dress as their favorite animal for Halloween.

This entry was posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:24 pm and is filed under Memorable Mishaps. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.