The way to start a day

Lexi was a shepherd I took in from someone experiencing financial problems. I'm not actually sure if the finanical problem was the reason or the fact that she had gotten one of their pet ferrets. She was basically well cared for and well treated. She had been spayed and had lived mostly indoors. But her vaccines were all expired and she tested positive for heartworms, so its a good thing that they gave her up so she could get the care and treatment she needed.

I kept her for a couple weeks past the heartworm treatment to make sure she was all right and then moved her to another foster home. (See Outsourcing, July 7, 2010). She was needing more attention than I could give but was otherwise an easy dog, although she does have a strong fear of thunderstorms.

Here is an email I received from the second foster home when I signed on the computer this morning. He found her an adopter.

I got home from Chicago yesterday, and one of the first things I
did was to call Lexi's adopter to follow up on the adoption and make sure all
was going as well as I was sure it would. Normally after only a week with
a new adopter, I'm hoping to hear that nothing negative has happened in their
new home. Since Lexi's original adoption commitment had fallen through at
the last minute before we left town, Molly had very little time to get ready for
Lexi, but her enthusiasm gave me a "warm fuzzy". Well, Molly was so happy
that she kept me on the phone for over an hour, telling me how great her
first week with Lexi has been. She swears, and knowing Lexi I don't doubt
it, that they bonded the first day. There were many qualities Molly was
looking for in a dog that I couldn't guarantee, like being "snugly". Well
it turns out that Lexi is "snugly", and these two ladies are a match made in
heaven. Molly said that Lexi fell right into her routine and after only a
week, she can't remember what it was like being alone in her place.

So the next time your house is full of dogs and you're hip deep in dog
crap,and you have one more that needs a trip to the vet, and one that needs
to be picked up, and you're wondering if it's worth all the effort... just
remember Molly and Lexi and all of the other "connections" you have
facilitated!

I love getting email like this and reading this early in the morning seems to give the whole day a boost. I'd like to think that I'd be doing this even if I never heard back from anyone. I use my best judgment to find an adopter I trust, kiss the dog goodbye, and hope for the best while moving on to the next one. In most cases I don't hear much from them after a while and that's ok. It makes it really extra special when I do.