Top Ten Reasons to Foster an Animal in Need: #9

 Reason #9: Fostering is an excellent way to learn more about dogs and cats.  Most people who have a cat or dog know something about the species and how to care for them.  For example, after a year of raising Beatrice, our spectacularly attentive, sensitive, and hyperactive pit bull, we knew a good bit about training and caring for a dog. Sort of. We sought out help from a fantastic professional trainer, and did a lot of reading. But we mostly just knew a lot about our dog. 

As we began to foster other dogs we realized just how much we didn’t know. Every animal we have cared for has taught us something new. Fostering pups taught us a lot about assessing temperament. Scarlett the pit bull taught us about dog hierarchy and how packs work. Fostering Kitty Feathers taught us about kitty midwifery—and that the emergency vet is really expensive. They have all taught us patience. If you are willing to learn from the critters who come into your life, fostering dogs and cats can help you build expertise as an animal caretaker.  

Pictured: Frances (mewing), Pirate (aka Pascal), and beloved alley-mom Kitty Feathers.

10 Reasons to Foster an Animal in Need--Part 1

My partner Matt and I have finally lost count of the number of dogs and cats who have temporarily called our house home in the last five years. If you know us you probably know it started with the alley cats who kept turning up on our back porch hungry and ready to trade their freewheelin' ways for the safety of a real home. Cats were our gateway drug. After adopting our beloved Beatrice from Chicagoland Bully Breed Rescue in 2008, we quickly added dogs to our rotating cast of characters, too.

In celebration of five years of sharing our house with creatures who needed us, I have compiled a list of the top 10 reasons to foster a dog or cat. You get one every day, complete with a photo of one of our foster kids. Ready?

Reason Number 10: Having stained carpet makes you a better person. Seriously. When we first bought our pristine new condo I would have shuddered to think of all the pee I'd be cleaning up. And I did shudder the first couple of times someone made a mess in the guest room. And then I just cleaned it up. The truth is that when I think back on all of our animal guests, there's not one of them whose life was not worth a little mess. As we get ready to replace the carpet in our bedrooms, I keep thinking what a small price to pay for the memories of our animal friends who are loved and cared for today because I trusted that creatures are more valuable than things.

Rotterrier needs our help!

A lot of really wonderful dogs have gotten a new start at life after being dumped in Washington Park. (Remember Red and Rainey the "island dogs," Lil' Brother the pit bull, Tish the Boston, and of course Answer the supermutt?) This fellow appears to have been dumped, too. Matt and I encountered him on Wednesday as we walked Bea and Irene near the lagoon. He was resting in the tall grass, and all you could see was his head. When I sat down near him he walked right over. We couldn't bring him in, so we brought him dinner and started making calls to find him a placement. The next morning Matt thought he saw him reunited with his owner, but alas, this must have been some other dog. Yesterday he was found in the park by Laura, who contacted friends with Hyde Park Cats who contacte me. After keeping him safe last night, Laura had to relinquish him to Animal Welfare League this afternoon where he will at least be safe from cars and mean people.

This is a truly unique looking dog. He is shaped just like a Rottie, but he has adorable wire hair on his face and back like an Irish terrier or airedale. He's darling. He is understandably timid, but has a calm energy. He did not seem to care about my dogs when we passed him in the park.

While this dog is very temporarily safe at AWL, his prospects are not good unless someone steps up to foster him. CBBR would be happy to pull him if we have a firm commitment from a responsible, experienced dog person who is willing to provide Rottie Man with a loving home until he is adopted. If you think you're up to the task, please fill out an application to foster at http://www.chicagolandbullybreedrescue.org/.  If you are with another rescue, please know that Hyde Park Cats has offered to contribute toward this fellow's vet care/neuter. This dog can be visited at AWL's intake facility, but--as is their policy with all dogs--can only be pulled by a rescue group.

Please share this post with others who might be able to help.

Humans, humanity, humaneness.

Human(e). This has to be the most ironic and Sapiens-centric word in the English language. To be kind, compassionate, or merciful is certainly neither specific to nor generally characteristic of us bipeds. In fact, it seems we have the most well developed taste for cruelty on the planet. We love to talk about our acts of humaneness in relation to animals--perhaps because it's easier to be merciful to a beast than to one another. Or is it? Check out the attached article on a group of US soldiers and their families who raised money to transport their adopted Afghan camp dogs back to the US. We are supposed to marvel at the cruelty of the Afghan person who cut off this dog's ears and then marvel at the kindness of the soldiers who have come to love this dog. But quick reminder: the soldiers are there to kill other humans and anything else that gets in the way. Americans back home still routinely chop off their dogs' ears because some people think it looks tough. Why do we need tortured animals to tell ourselves these stories about our own human(e)ness? To be human is only sometimes to be humane. To forgive, to serve, to protect--that may be most purely canine.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/afghan-war-zone-dogs-army-wives-raise-6k-to-fly-2-strays-beloved-by-troops-to-united-states/2011/07/04/gHQAP2VxxH_story.html

Hello, blogosphere!

What do you say when no one is listening? Anything you want. How about a poem:

Pit Bulls in Bed

                --for Scarlett and Bea

always moving--glowing souls in rippling muscle

when I stir they stir. heating the mattress pressing their ribs against mine

sticky mouths chewing in sleep

as cows do as babies suckle

gargoyles friends

the warm condensation of cruel myth

one ear fixed toward the door

no evil has ever crossed this threshold

nor will it.