Forever Home

I am happy to announce that Jax has found his forever home!  An application came in on him over the weekend.  It was a decision that I struggled with to the point of laying awake at night. I have so enjoyed watching him evolve from a sad, scared, dog that didn't know love, to the happy, confident, loving creature that he is today.  My first experience fostering an adult dog was all that I hoped it would be.  It is his time, however, to become an official member of a family.  I really think that it will be a perfect fit.  The couple lives in Little Rock.  They have another dog (important to me since he needs a pair of ears), and no kids (just as I had hoped for).  They are the kind of family that will spoil him as he deserves to be spoiled, after knowing such pain in his short life.  They are aware of all of the extra responsibilities that come with him and are committed to fulfilling them.  They know that he will never be able to be an off-leash dog.  They know that since he has no pigment, he will have to wear special sunscreen whenever he is outside, for the rest of his life, and that he will need to be checked for skin cancer regularly. They understand that he has special needs, but it doesn't matter to them.  Jax will be happy with them, I am confident, for the rest of his life.

Here is a little more information about Jax's family...They are about the coolest people ever!  The husband's name is Jonathon.  The wife's name is Leslie.  The other dog's name is Dixie. 

Yes. We are, what they lovingly call in the rescue world, a "foster failure." 

This decision was not an easy one to make.  I was torn by guilt.  I made a committment to save dogs.  I can't stop after just one.  So, we will continue the foster program.  What is one more dog in the house?  Right?  There was a time that we had 2 ferrets, 2 dogs, 2 birds, and a cat!  Now that was a house full!  3 dogs is nothing! 

I know that you are all thinking "I knew they couldn't do it."  And, it would seem that you are right, but I will disagree.  It isn't that we can't do it.  I don't think that we will have this experience every time we give up a foster dog.  Of course, each one will touch our lives, and hearts, but Jax is special.  He came to us at a special time.  I didn't think about it then, but I now believe that we, or at least I, needed Jax to come into our lives when he did.  I was in the midst of a sadness so deep that I could barely function, grieving Asia.  Although two months had gone by, I cried every day.  Giving a second chance to a dog in her honor was a small distraction from the pain.  I felt proud to be saving a dog, and although I wasn't ready for new dog to join the family, I was happy to have him there.  Jax and Dixie were instant friends and she had a renewed happiness that we hadn't witnessed since Asia passed.  She needed him too.  One experienced foster mom from the rescue advised me that these things don't happen by accident.  Maybe she is right.  At that time, Jax needed someone to help him, and we needed someone to help.  The day after we got him, was his designated "last day."  Had we decided to foster any later, he may not be alive.  It just all fits. 

Or maybe this is just my way of justifying keeping the guy because he is so damn cute!  Believe what you will.  He is our dog now, and I am confident that we made the right choice.