- Fostering: I sure wouldn't have considered this before Pops. See that little guy lookingup at her? Well that's Scooter, our short-term foster over the holidays. Despite the need for constant supervision (or the puddles of pee would have taken over) I'm grateful that we were able to give this little guy some help. He's currently at All Aboard Animal Search and Rescue in Santa Rosa, waiting to be someone's joy for life.
- Volunteering I: Honestly every time I thought about volunteering for one good cause or another I had this vision of my time and energy being spent upon problems I couldn't solve. I also had some challenges wondering about how much long-term good would result from my "help." Of course, the volunteering being considered was people-oriented. Once Poppy came along and I discovered local shelters needed volunteers to walk or just love on the dogs, I knew I'd found my mission. My Friday mornings are now spent walking shelter dogs and getting them ready for adoption. Helping dogs - that feels good!
- Volunteering II: BAD RAP is a rescue and outreach group in Oakland that promotes responsible dog guardianship and a positive, healthy perspective on pit bulls and pit bull type dogs. One of the coolest things they do is sponsor free spay/neuter/shot clinics several times a year. The focus is on under-served and low income communities where backyard breeding is fact of life, whether it's for profit or just because folks can't afford to spay or neuter their pets. Handing out or hanging up flyers gets the word out and it's a great way to spread the word about the importance of S/N. It also tells folks there's a community of people who really care about all dog guardians regardless of their income bracket.
- Friendship: An unexpected benefit of volunteering has been meeting folks who are involved in fostering, volunteering, rescue, and/or training. What a great way to meet kindred spirits and find playmates for Pops!
- What's Next: We're signed up for training with BAD RAP's class at Aquatic Park where I anticipate meeting both dogs and people who are devoted to one another. Poppy will learn some more manners and socialization skills that will allow me to take her to the dog park where we'll meet more dogs and people... I'm setting our caps at Canine Good Citizen training afterwards. There is work to be done fighting against breed-specific legislation (BSL) all over the US that, thanks to the interweb, I can participate in from my computer. And I'm sure we're only beginning to discover the interconnections that Poppy has made possible.
~ L
