Why we foster, Mogley. Part one of many to come

Below, Mogley the Rescue dog and blogger.

For the next few weeks, or months, I will be sharing my blog with my human family.   They were asked to write a short piece about "Why we volunteer to rescue and foster".   That short piece became too much for one newsletter, it will be a series of stories on individual dogs and their stories.
Please share these with friends, we hope we can inspire more people to volunteer to work in rescue. 

Why we Foster:

Our daughter became a foster home for Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR), she led the way for us. We always had a Golden in our life, she was raised with Goldie, a Golden Retriever that helped her though school, prom dates and saw her off to college. When she married, they went looking for a Golden and found the GRRR. We attended a rescue event with her and in 2007 we asked for a foster that would not be in great demand, we lived a long ways away and did not want to drive back and forth to meet with adopters too often. Mary said she had just the dog for us, he was only six months old, but no one would want to adopt him because he had a bad heart. He probably would not live to be more than more than three years old, he would be difficult to place in a forever home, forever might not be that long. Mary told us to “take him home and give him a good life”. Mogley had been rescued off of the “kill table” at a vet's office, he had been ordered put down by his owner/breeder who discovered a heart defect, sub-aortic stenosis, that would make him unsellable. Mogley had already received one of the two shots that would terminate his life on the stainless steel table when someone came into the room, saw a beautiful young Golden about to die, and came to the very last minute rescue of an unwanted dog. They woke Mogley up and called Golden Retriever Rescue. He began his journey to a new life, groggy but alive. A volunteer transported him from Southern Colorado to Denver where he was ready for a foster home, and ultimately a real forever home, however long forever might be.

Below, a very wet and tired Mogley at the annual Golden Retriever Rescue Reunion Picnic at the lake in August 2007, one month after joining us. 

Mogley met Bella, our pound rescue lady, they fit together perfectly. After only a few days with Mogley we knew we had to adopt him, we did not want to take the chance of losing him to someone else, he was an incredible addition to our family and to our life. We were a foster failure on our first try. Mogley began writing his blog about his life and about the incredible dogs that have passed through our lives. Four years ago we had a back yard of green grass and flowers, today we have a few patches of green amidst the weeds, it has never looked so good!

Below, a very wet and tired Mogley at the Golden Retriever Rescue Reunion Picnic, August, 2008

Mogley's heart? He has a heart that is big enough to welcome the 65 fosters we have shared out home with. Mogley's tasks include teaching newcomers the rules of the house. No sleeping on furniture, how to use the dog doors, no waiting in the garage when the garage doors are open, no swimming in the Koi pond, no digging except in designated digging areas (the garden). He teaches them that at 7:00 and 6:00 dinner is on its way, treats are about ½ hour after dinner. Treats are usually pills hidden in peanut butter. Everyone must sit in a circle for treats. Because so many of the rescue dogs have health problems, everyone gets a pill, even if it is just a vitamin supplement. Mogley's tasks are many, and he takes them seriously. He has to share his toys, but in return he has a continuous play date.   

As you can see from his birthday photo, Jan 2009, below, he has a lot to share.

Since then we have (as of Nala) fostered 65 different dogs, every one has a story, a story that deserves telling, a story that would bring tears of sorrow or tears of joy. We hope that sharing a few with you will help you realize that every dog is a story waiting to be shared, a life waiting to be helped along its way. We foster because of Mogley, but also because of Nala, Stella, Clyde, Ginger, Molly, Jake, Hudson, Ruby, Thelma, Chase, Black Jack, Agnes, Butter, Honey, Charles, Duke, Daisy, Snickers, Aspen, Verna, Star and 40 others that have shared our lives. Each one has a story, a story we want to share with you. Be patient, it will take a long time to tell their stories, one by one.

We still don't believe that they let us take these wonderful dogs, bring them into our home and share our lives, and all for free. They don't charge us for the joy and happiness that we have shared with them, they don't charge us for the love they have shown us. 

This is why we foster: Part one of many to come.

Mogley G. Retriever