Both foster puppies have gone to their forever homes. This was a huge amount of work, for multiple reasons. Mainly I realize how bad I am at the people side of rescue. As a rabid introvert, needing to answer so many emails, do so much marketing, and meet so many people, in order to find them the right home, was just EXHAUSTING. I’d finish the end of each day and just collapse into bed, and every morning was filled with dread. The puppies are major energy sucks, but it is nothing in comparison to the people side.
When I did all the fostering for ACT V, they did almost all of the people work. The only people I met and talked to had already been through discussions with ACT V. ACT V had already determined that they were at least a good enough match it was worth it to set up a meeting. ACT V had already checked references. All I needed to do was be there for the meet and greet, and then provide my opinions afterward.
This time I had to field each email, and no matter how unlikely it seemed, I replied to each one to start up a conversation, just in case it really was the right match for one of the puppies. The experience reinforced my impression that most people are flaky and awful, but it also reinforced my belief that when it involves something important, don’t rely on first impressions alone. One of the pups ended up local, but the other ended up in Las Vegas, which I really didn’t expect. Each contact from farther afield was handled hesitantly but ever so slightly open to the concept that a person from farther away could satisfy my suspicious nature. However, he did not go to the fetish model who also wanted to take him to live in Las Vegas. No judgement on the job, although a puppy chewing up those shoes would get expensive, but she was uncooperative about basic policies for adoption and didn’t leave me feeling confident.
So, with that, I’ve fostered 14 dogs and 2 cats, to date, and only kept one critter, which is not a bad record.
Next up – more cats?
