I’ve been volunteering with the Heart of America Humane Society for almost two months now at their weekly adoption events. Basically, you show up and hold a dog so potential adopters can see them outside of their cages and interact with them (see Kate’s post on volunteering at adoption events). It’s been an nice way to ease into volunteering with a shelter without having too much responsibility.

I’ve really been enjoying doing the adoption events with HAHS, and was not intending to foster for quite awhile … until I met Ginger Rogers.


Ginger, who actually was nameless (Shelter Dog #A048664) when I met her, had been at an area shelter for about a month. We found out that if she wasn’t fostered by a volunteer, she was set to be euthanized.

A few minutes with this gentle giant (all 62 pounds of her!) and I just knew I couldn’t let her meet that fate – so with a little convincing, Daniel let me bring her home to foster. How could anyone refuse this face?!


She spent her first evening with us curled up in a ball like this:


Don’t let the photo fool you – she is a big girl! She just manages to make herself seem really small in photos. She was pretty lethargic for the first couple of days. Sometimes I forgot she was there because she’s super quiet…then I would look over and she would be laying on the carpet like this:



As her foster, I was allowed to giver her a name. I named her Ginger Rogers for a few reasons. First, her beautiful red coat is so striking – it’s the first thing you notice. Secondly, Ginger Rogers was born in the KC metro area (Independence, MO) so I thought my beautiful redhead deserved a name befitting of a KC legend! Unfortunately, our Ginger doesn’t seem to be as graceful as her namesake – but that just makes her name even more endearing to me.


I’m planning on posting more about her as we get to know her – including how she gets along with Turk and Rufus and how she does at future adoption events.

If you think Ginger Rogers is your kind of girl and you live in the Kansas City metro area, please contact HAHS about arranging a meeting.