Fostering Hope – Cover Story

 

Published in the PATIO issue
/ Written by Lea Guedin / Photos by Woof Creative Photography

See Hope’s full photoshoot!

Becoming a foster mom to Hope saved my life, as much as it did hers. She came to me at a time when I needed her more than she needed me. After a traumatic accident at work, I was horribly depressed, not getting out of bed, not getting out of the house, not doing the things that normally brought me happiness. I felt very alone.

One Sunday afternoon, I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across a post from Fur Sisters about becoming a foster parent. I was feeling incredibly depressed that day, and deep down I knew fostering a dog was exactly what I needed. I’d fostered a few years before through a different organization, and when I tried to foster through them again, I was unable to be connected with a dog for over two years and I’d gotten frustrated. I got a call from Fur Sisters the day after filling out my foster application, and I was thrilled the process was moving along so quickly—I needed it to. I could tell by the way Channing from Fur Sisters spoke to me during our call that her heart was completely dedicated to rescuing dogs, and that I wanted to foster a dog with the Fur Sisters organization.

Channing texted me a few pictures of other dogs, but when I saw Hope’s picture I completely melted. I knew she was the dog I wanted to take care of. She looked like a tiny, sick grey hippopotamus who desperately needed a safe and loving home. I knew agreeing to become her foster mom was going to be risky, as Hope had suffered through an abusive situation and she only had a 50/50 chance of survival.
She’d been found abandoned—with a tumor the size of a baseball—at the dead-end of a road. It was obvious her previous owner had been using her for backyard breeding, and had attempted to give her a hack c-section without the proper medication or tools. The c-section wound didn’t heal properly, and it started pushing Hope’s intestines outside of her body, which caused a large tumor to form on her lower stomach, putting Hope’s health in great danger. Hope’s case was so severe she needed to go into surgery immediately if she was going to live. Channing reassured me that Fur Sisters would give me everything I needed to care for Hope, and they’d would be there to support us every step of the way.

I agreed that if Hope made it out of surgery I’d be her foster mama and see her through the recovery and through heartworm treatment. This was the absolute best decision I could’ve made. The way Hope accepted my help with so much love after all the abuse she’d endured was so inspiring to me. On so many occasions I thought, If Hope can make it through her trauma then I can make it through mine.

Becoming Hope’s foster mom has given me so much purpose, responsibility, and most of all, unconditional love. She’s brought me back to life and reconnected me to the simple things that matter—like kindness and love. I know that we were sent to each other for a reason.

Taking care of her hasn’t always been easy, but I love Hope so much, and seeing her recovery has been deeply rewarding. The days following surgery, Hope’s health was touch and go, and there were times I didn’t know if she was going to make it through the night. But, after a couple weeks of recovering and lots of love, Hope is now playing, cuddling, and sometimes so full of energy I can barely keep up with her! She will start her heartworm treatment soon, and once again I’m praying this miraculous little dog to make it through another challenge. She has so much love and support around her, I just hope she makes it through so she can live in a forever home where she is truly loved and appreciated!

Fur Sisters and Bluestar hospital have been so supportive of us and given Hope and I everything we need to make her recovery possible. They’ve delivered kennels, sheets, toys, food, and medicine to my door and I have never felt alone in this journey. If you are thinking about fostering a dog I would encourage you to contact Fur Sisters because there are so many other dogs—most of which have no medical issues—who need to be loved and protected. I am beyond grateful for my little Hippo. She’s everything I could have wanted in a companion and I am honored to be her foster mom! •

When you foster for Fur Sisters, everything is taken care of! Fill out the application today:
fursisters.org/foster

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