Following in Aleksandra’s tradition of saying a special goodbye to a foster once they are adopted, here is my letter to Ginger Rogers…

Dear Ginger,

I remember like yesterday that hot day in July when I first laid eyes on you at the weekly HAHS adoption event – you were super dirty from spending 30 days at the shelter, covered in fly bites and panting nonstop because it was so hot and you were nervous to be around a bunch of strange people, dogs, and unfamiliar smells and noises. Even though you looked pretty worse for wear, I was immediately drawn to you out of all the other dogs at the event. I couldn’t bear the thought of you not having a name, so right then and there I started referring to you as “Ginger Rogers” because of your gorgeous red fur.


As the adoption event was drawing to a close, Mark, one of the other volunteers, told me you had reached your time limit at the shelter and would be put down if nobody was willing to foster you. I would NOT allow that to happen to you, so I called Daniel and begged him to let me bring you home to foster. I sent him this photo below to show him how adorable you are and reluctantly, he said yes. Before I knew it, you were in the car with me on the way to a park to meet Daniel, Turk, and Rufus! You were my first official foster dog!


After our meeting at the park went well, I walked you back to our house. I was so worried about you at first because you walked sooooo sloooooow! I worried you were sick and wasn’t sure how I could help you. Little did I know you were just very, very tired because you were unable to get good rest at that loud, smelly shelter. Once you got to the house, you slept constantly for what felt like weeks!


I wasn’t sure what to do to be a good foster mama, so I emailed the best foster mama I could think of: Aleksandra from Love and a Six-Foot Leash. She explained to me how to make you feel at home and how to integrate you into our family. It was such a relief to know I could count on a veteran like her to show me how to take care of you the best I possibly could!


You met so many people during your stay with us, but your favorites were definitely your Foster Aunt, Deanna, and your Foster Grandma (who made you that pretty yellow sweater and bought you the Easy Walk Harness, which helped with your manners on walks!). Deanna is going to miss you a lot … she considered herself your second foster mama! Foster Grandma will miss you too – she thought you made such a beautiful spokespittie for her sweaters and turtlenecks!



In your short time with us, you became an internet celebrity. Lots of people on Facebook and this blog checked up on you often and were super curious to hear what you were up to! And remember when you were the featured pittie on Pitter Patter? Apparently other people besides me thought your getting-off-the-couch moves were pretty funny! All of those people are going to miss you a lot too, so you need to make sure to check back with us from time to time, okay?


Turk and Rufus will miss you, too… not a lot, but they will miss you. Turk will miss having someone his size to rough house with and Rufus will miss having a nappies buddy. Neither of them will miss how you hogged the couch, though!




Daniel will miss you too … he loved watching you “sumo wrestle” with Turk and cuddle with him on the couch. He didn’t love it when you snuck up into bed with us, but he knew you just liked to be with us. I did always think it was so cute seeing you interact with him…


And finally, my dearest Ginger, I’ll miss you most of all! It has been my honor to see you blossom from a nervous, shy girl to a confident, goofy, sweet lady! You made your way deep into my heart and it was so hard to let you go. I will miss how you would curl up at my feet when I worked at the dining room table.


I’ll miss how you would come tearing across the house when you heard me get out your leash or one of your adorable outfits (you loved how much attention you got when you dressed up)!


I’ll miss the inquisitive looks you’d give me with those huge, innocent eyes of yours.


I’ll miss your silly faces.




Baby girl, I’ll miss YOU! I’ll never forget you, Ginger Rogers…I wish for you to have a wonderful life, filled with cuddles, snuggles, yummy treats, and adorable outfits!


Love,
Your Foster Mama