I know I touched on this before, but I wanted to thank everyone who has been following Snoopy's blog, and for sending me emails. It's just been amazing to see that there are people out there - people who have never even met Snoopy - rooting for him.
To answer the question on everyone's mind (and emails) - yes, it will be very hard to say goodbye to him. At this point I'm trying not to think about it, because when I do, I get a lump in my throat and more than a little misty-eyed.
When Randie and I first entertained the idea of fostering, one of the things we struggled with was whether we would get too attached, and we wondered how hard it would be to say goodbye. Randie was worried that I would want to adopt every single dog that walked into our home, but I assured him (many, many times) that I would be able to keep my emotions in check.
Five months into this, I have undoubtedly found it very hard to look at them as "just" foster dogs. As any rescuer will tell you, the moment a dog walks into your home, they become family. We spend days, weeks, and sometimes months trying to help them get over their fears so that when someone touches them, they will know it's out of love and nothing else.
And when you're faced with the possibility of an adoption for a dog you've grown to love (unconditionally), you ask yourself the same question over and over again - Will this person love them as much as I do?
In Snoopy's case, the answer is unequivocally yes. I know that he will be treasured in a forever home that he should have had four years ago. I know that when Snoopy's mom looks at him, she will feel that same feeling I have when I look at him. I also know that her life will forever be changed, like mine was, the moment Snoopy walks into her home.
People have told me that Snoopy is lucky to have met me, but it's actually the other way around, because in a way, he's the one who saved me.
It's definitely hard... People see it and sometimes think we find it easy and that's why we can handle it and they can't. Giving up Otis was the hardest, because he was a huge mommy's boy and fit perfectly in our family. I worried and worried, but then when the perfect home came along, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Sure I bawled my eyes out (not in front of Otis, of course!) but I know that my boy is happy and loved. Heck even when temporarily fostering Tatti for a few days, I shed tears passing her along to Laurie! We get attached to them and feel like no one could love them like we do, but it's that love that gets them to the right forever home, and the temporary pain we suffer is nothing compared to what they had to suffer before coming into rescue, and it's more than worth it!!
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