On the radar

I field a number of calls, emails, and referrals each week about possible new fosters.  Sometimes they drop off the radar screen because people change their mind, find another rescue, or some other placement for their dog.  Sometimes I don't follow up because it sounds like a dog I can't help, or I'm full.  With Summer adopted and Hunter going to his new home on Saturday, I'm a little more receptive to inquiries about new dogs at the moment.

Here are a few that are currently on my radar.



This is a silver lab.  I had never heard of them, but apparently it's a real thing.


He's young and just way too energetic for his current owners.  He's 1-2 years

This one came from someone who found my blog online, probably doing a Google search that involved the words "Virginia," "dog," and "rescue."  I've agreed to take him in but haven't yet heard back from the owners.

These are two NewFoundlands whose owner recently died.  I've never had a Newf as a foster and I've agreed to take them both.  They are five years old, spayed females, and are said to be up to date on shots.  I got an email the other day from a woman in Covington, VA about them.  I had helped her place a shepherd several years ago.  I sort of remembered doing so, but I don't remember which dog it was or how they connected with me in the first place.  

This is a young, male shepherd in Charlottesville and was a referral from the HOWS Project.  He had been the recipient of one of their dog houses a while back and now the owner is apparently ready to re-home the dog.  There is someone else involved, however, and they have another possible placement for the dog.  I'm not sure if this one will be coming my way or not but I'm going to talk to them again this afternoon and we will see.  

I don't seek out dogs.  There's enough of them that come to me that I don't go trolling the pages of Petfinder or Facebook looking for them.  I try to take dogs close to home when possible, for a couple reasons: I generally need to meet the dog before agreeing to accept it; and I like to help out my local shelters when possible, by either taking their dogs or taking community dogs that might end up in a local shelter.  I'm not a humane investigator, and I'm not an animal control officer.  When I get calls or emails from people who think that someone needs to do something about some dog they see or some dog their neighbor has, I tell them to make a complaint to their local ACO or talk to the person and see if they want to surrender the dog.  I have no magic wand, no mask and cape, no power to right all wrongs.