Penny |
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Penny was only our 2nd foster Dalmatian and even though we only had her for4 incredible days, she left a lasting impression. We received an emailtelling us of a senior Dalmatian girl who needed a foster home for a coupleof days until her transport could take her to Colorado where Dalmatian Rescue of Colorado was. Beth, who runs the rescue group, had already found her a new home in St Louis. So, we decided that we would help Penny with her transition and foster herfor a couple of days. I picked Penny up on Thursday from the Phoenix Humane Society where they transported her up from the Yuma Humane society. They informed me Penny was an owner turn in and they asked that she be euthanized. The Humane Society lady told me how sweet Penny was and that she ate fine and didn't know why her owners turned her in or asked for her to be euthanized. As soon as I looked into Penny's trusting eyes my heart was hers. She nestled her head on my shoulders as to say thank you and we proceeded to head home. On the ride home, she looked out at the window and looked at me and I could tell she was smiling and very happy. When we reached my home I bathed her and made her look even more gorgeous then before as if that could be possible. I did take her to my vet for a medical condition that I saw and was hoping that it was a UTI and that it could be easily cured. We got home with the meds and then I introduced her to my 3 other Dalmatian girls who are also all rescues. Well, she did great, as soon as she met every one of them with her doggy seatbelt still on her, she jumped into our pool and swam around. My dogs looked in disbelief, they are not water dogs and are never going to be water dogs. But Penny, she loved our pool, she would jump in 6-8 times a day for a quick lap or two and then dry out in the sun. My husband finally had a dog to go swimming with and our doggy step in the pool was finally being used. She wasn't much of a kisser, but liked to put her head against yours and be held still for a long time, she was very affectionate. She had a black spot at the end of her nose that was so cute and her eyes were ringed with black like she had on very heavy eyeliner. Her body was strong and she was the tallest Dal girl that we had seen who had a great figure and weighed in at 52 lbs of sheer muscle and elegance. Yes, she was a looker. Her eyes followed you wherever you went for she didn't want to be away from you. My heart would ache when I left the room and I could hear her whimper, yes, she was a mommy's girl. She was just happy sleeping on our couch being snuggled next to you. Penny also shared the doggy beds with our oldest Dal and we have the cutest pics of them sleeping together. She fit right into our family and I took wonderful videos and pictures of her and spoke to her adoptive mother to be who was so excited to have Penny. On Sunday morning our time with Penny was up and we handed her off Tori and Karter who were transporting her to Colorado for Beth. Penny broke myheart as she went behind me and didn't understand why we were letting her go. Part of being a foster was finding her a good home and with speaking with Beth who had found her adoptive mother, Paula, we knew she was going to a wonderful home. So off Penny went with our hearts. Beth was great at keeping us informed to how Penny was doing. She was going on walks and swimming in a pond, but her condition was getting worse,so upon closer examination it was determined that she probably had bladder cancer and that any day she could go downhill very quickly. Penny was so happy to be out of the Humane Society that for a brief week her renewed vigor on life let her beat her disease and enjoy life they way she should have been living, but in the end the disease struck fast and furious and Penny could no longer lead a normal life. I will always remember Penny as our sweetest foster dog who loved to swim. Fostering is one of the hardest but also extremely rewarding things we have done. Two of our dals came from a foster home and we never would have met Penny, Beth, Tori or Karter had we not fostered. So, I encourage everyone to open up your heart and home to a foster dog. Sincerely, |