Hank

Anonymous Kitty found near TJ Maxx Rescued recently and adjusted well to their new life.

Perdida.

Gibbs

There are some dogs who just don’t do well in shelter settings. They need a little more love and attention in order to get ready for their forever family. Gibbs, a terrier mix, was one of those dogs. He wasn’t doing well in the shelter because of his shyness. It even got to the point where he was deemed unadoptable. A foster family was needed to help him come out of his shell, so people could see just how great he really was. That’s where Judi and John came in.

The two of them have been fostering dogs for about a year and half, and they were more than happy to bring Gibbs into their family. It took him a while to settle in to this new home, but Judi, John, and their four dogs helped him to feel loved and supported enough to show a completely different side of himself. Where once he was shy and nervous, he was now more outgoing and confident. The process was slow and had its challenges, but the reward was great. Gibbs was feeling comfortable and ready to go home.

After spending a month in their home, it was time for Gibbs to go to his forever home. People started showing interest in Gibbs, and it was now time to find that perfect family for him. When Judi met Kathy, she realized that this was the perfect person to provide a forever home for Gibbs. And when Kathy came to pick him up, he never looked back. He had found his person. Six months later Gibbs and Kathy are happy together and doing great. It’s hard to say if he would have been adopted as quickly, or at all, if he had not been fostered. Fostering can be an important step in the adoption process. Judi has some advice for anyone considering fostering dogs:

You have to have the right mindset, because the day will come when they will get adopted. You have to be willing to open your home for them and make them feel safe, wanted, and most of all loved. You need to have the patience to work with them to overcome their fears from separation anxiety, aggressions, shyness, etc. These dogs’ lives have been turned upside down and now they are in a strange place feeling lost. You need to make them feel like part of your home. In return you get this unconditional love that is so rewarding.

Remember, you don’t have to be this savant with dogs. You just have to have love and patience to make a difference in their lives.

Sassy and Jasmine

Last year we lost one of our kids, Molly our older dog crossed the rainbow bridge. Our younger dog Jasmine a 5 year old Shih Tzu was acting lonely. I browsed the BENCHES website and found Sassy also a 5 year old Shih Tzu. I called to inquire about adoption. I set a play date for the dogs to meet. The foster Mom and I talked about the needs of adopting Shih Tzu’s and the special needs that Sassy encounters. She is an anxious dog that needs companionship 24/7. She has been known to have seizures. She is afraid of thunder but her perfectly beautiful nature shined when we met. 
Today Sassy and Jasmine are the best of friends. We have moved into the country and both dogs believe it is “dog heaven”. Sassy is wonderful, has put on some weight, loves the millions of toys, and greets me with complete LOVE at the end of the day. She still hates thunder but we try to soothe her during these events. She has truly been an added blessing into our home.

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