Introducing Our Foster Puppy!

So last night, I'm minding my own business, working at the register between classes, when all of the sudden the rescue group we work with, Hand in Paw, gets this group of new puppies. And there's this gorgeous, gangly brindle pup with these amazing soulful eyes, and I just have to go snuggle him. All these beautiful puppies have been delivered straight from Tijuana, where they were found wandering the streets or in trash cans, emaciated and tic-infested. The four month old pup I was snuggling was named Lázaro (Spanish for Lazarus), and when he was found he had Erlichia, a tick-borne disease, and was so malnourished, the vet didn't think he'd make it — and he needed a foster.
Before I knew it, I was texting my housemates his photo. "Guys," I wrote sheepishly, "Would it be crazy to bring this little guy home for a few days?" And the next thing I knew, Lázaro was driving home with me after work.


I have always wanted to foster dogs, but never quite lived somewhere where it was feasible or wouldn't be putting someone else out. But sometimes things just happen when they do, without perfect planning or foresight, and now we have a gorgeous goofy guy snoozing happily on our cool tile floor. Although my boyfriend worries, and with good reason, that I will become overly attached to our little tiger-striped friend and it will be hard for me to part with him, I know that the pain of loving him and letting him go is nothing compared to the life of hardship he has already faced, and if I can make one small difference in that life, and take him on his first walk, and feed him healthy meals, and teach him a few basic manners that will make him more adoptable and help him find the perfect forever home — than my selfish sadness is a small price to pay. At the end of August we will be moving (more on that later) and back to living in a very small space, so maybe this will be my only opportunity to foster for a while, but I am glad to have it.

If you have space in your home and heart for one more little creature, I urge you to contact your local shelter or rescue and volunteer to foster. It's only been a single day, and I can already say that the experience is very, very rewarding. I am often overwhelmed by the hugeness of the sad things in the world, by the mistreatment of animals, the abuse of our environment and planet, the people both close and far that are not free, that are hurt or hungry. I feel so small in the face of all the great injustices in the world, but it's a relief to think that while I may never save the world, for this one animal I can make a world of difference.




If you are interested in adopting Lázaro or any of his buddies, please let me know or contact Hand in Paw! You can also come meet many adoptable dogs each Saturday and Sunday at Unleashed in Monrovia from 10am - 3pm.