Sunday Snapshot - Pets

I love dogs!! I have loved animals every since I can remember. We always had at least 2 dogs and a cat when I was growing up and I can tell ya that my dog, Molly, got me through some of that rough "teenage angst" when nothing else could.

Thank goodness we have 3 dogs and a cat right now, considering we are getting ready to have an official teenager in our house come October!! Yikes!

When I was all grown up and able to have a fenced back yard, the first thing I did was to get a dog! Maggie was her name and she was just the cutest little thing!!



After a while a long came Gracie (rescued from the pound)



and I was hooked - hooked on dog rescue!

I have fostered many needy dogs over the years. Check out a Blog Hop I participated in that was All About Pets. I had a lot of fun with that blog hop and was shocked when I actually saw (in one blog post) just how many pups we had fostered and I didn't even include the kittens!!

Many of the dogs came to us from really sad situations and many of them simply came to us.

One of my first fosters was Homer.



Homer was an old hunting dog who either was let go or had gotten lost on a hunt. It was obvious that he had been in the woods for a long time and never been in a house or been loved on at all. He was a beat up old fellow but still very sweet and trusting.

Homer actually led me right to an older gentleman whose family had for whatever reason, abandoned him. Mr. H loved dogs and was looking for a 4 legged friend to keep him company. His wife was in a nursing home and his grown children just didn't have much to do with him. He had many medical needs and was sick a lot but had so much love to give to sweet Homer. I visited Mr. H just about every week and had great fun hearing about and sharing in his life. I felt blessed to have known him.

I will never forget smuggling (we had cleared it with his nurses first) our littlest dog into the hospital to visit Mr. H when he was at the point that we knew he was not leaving the hospital. Cricket sat on the bed with him as he stroked her and talked to her. I hope that visit brought him a bit of happiness that day. He passed away shortly after.

There was Smiley Girl who spent her life in the median of a very busy 4 lane highway.



Everyone assumed she had been dumped and was watching and waiting for her family to return. It took many weeks of treats and dog food to try and rescue this little one. She was scared and very leary of anyone who came too close. I was finally able to catch her and slowly but surely rehabilitate her so that she could be adopted. Even though Smiley passed away three years ago, her wonderful family still sends me a Christmas card every year.

There was also Kendal, a 10 year old Golden Retriever.



Kendal was one of our latest fosters who came to us because his elderly owner died. This gentleman's family could not be bothered with caring for the companion who had, more than likely, been his ever faithful companion for many years. Kendal was not only old but also had seizures and yet we were still able to find him a wonderful elderly couple who are now spoiling him rotten!!!!

Today, we have sweet Lily. Lily has 3 legs and tons of love!! I don't know Lily's history but I do know that she will have a wonderful future. She is a "follow you around" kind of dog. Not intrusive but always there patiently waiting for some love or attention. I really hope to find a wonderful family for her soon, or...



she may never leave!!

Just recently I have learned of another sweet little pup whose elderly owner can no longer walk her. So...



his family is forcing him to give her up. What is wrong with people??? They are both heartbroken but a sweet friend of mine is desperately trying to find her a home. She offered several suggestions to the family to keep them together but the family just wants this sweet pup gone.

Then there are the constant litter of puppies.



This cutie is from a litter of 12! Sigh!! Spay and neuter people!!!!

Every single one of these dogs have added so much to my life and now to our kids' lives. They have learned compassion and responsibility and a desire to help those in need, even if those in need are animals.

Sorry this Sunday Snapshot is so short on pics. My !@#$%^&* computer is still down and I don't have access to many of my pictures. Again, you can go here to check out the pics of all of our fosters and hear a bit about how my love of dogs have shaped my life.

As always go to



to read more great Sunday Snapshots