LEAD Rescue, NFP

"What should I tell the original owner? She asks for updates, but we don't have any real updates to share except, we still have your dogs since January."-E&S's foster

LEAD has always wanted to help dogs where we can. It started with strays and then went into owner surrenders and then went into strays, owner surrenders, whatever else showed up. But for the most part, owner surrenders were more likely to enter the rescue than anything else simply because we were able to get more information about a dog from the original owner and fosters would step up because of it. Yes, I know we have been lied to multiple times on how great a dog is, but I don't blame the dog still. And we are thankful to those fosters who pushed through all the "extra" to save a life.

We have told everyone from the start that we keep in contact with the original owners (if they want) to show them the new adopted family. We do get questioned by original owners wondering if we are a real rescue and not a scam to get their dogs. Without a doubt, I make sure to let them know you can look up LEAD online and know that all that paperwork to form a NFP was not for nothing. Some dogs get adopted quickly by their fosters and good for those dogs. It's an easier transition when it goes smoothly like that. But some, just some, stay put with us for weeks or a few months. And that can be hard news to hear from an owner who had to give them up. But recently, it seems like the dogs I've posted have been the ones who finally catch their break!

Emilio and Sasha. I'm not sure how many times I have reposted these guys but eventually it started to feel like absolutely no one gave a dog's b***y about. Their foster took them in back in January temporarily, in the hopes that another foster or adopter would take them in. But we definitely put the cart before the horse because we know bonded pairs take longer to place (although if you don't try, how would you know?). I just thought that someone would be dying for a Border Collie Lab and could be ok taking in the little tag along dog. Let's face the truth. If you saw Emilio at the shelter in a sea of bully breeds, you mean to tell me he would be there for almost a whole year? I thinkth not. Of course, everyone saw Sasha and applied for her even though her name on PetFinder was Sasha (bonded with Emilio). That wasn't like a cool AKC name or a well thought out typo. No, Emilio is an actual dog, her brother, her ride or die that must go with to "Sasha's" new home. And you couldn't miss Emilio (bonded with Sasha) either with his 80 lb body, who is allergic to alot of ingredients in food, dust and cats, and has an excessive need for attention via whining.

So the updates to their original owner were kinda redundant. The dogs are good. No apps yet. The dogs are good. No apps yet. We had an app...but no the dogs are still good. However, even though the light seemed always dim, their "temp" foster committed to them the entire time. She's happy to know that they didn't end up somewhere else and every conversation was that they are super duper easy to take care of. LEAD and her were giving them the best chance to find a home regardless of how long it was taking. We reduced their fees then eventually waived them completely, and agreed an out of state adoption was possible if a good app was sent our way. Although adoption fees help with vetting and what not, it just wasn't worth it to take in a dime if it prevented these angels from being adopted. By the way, Emilio already spent his fee on the special diet he eats.

In a last ditch effort, we were thinking of transferring them to a more well known group. It felt like the amount of time they were with us, they could be HOME within a couple days with a new rescue. As we arranged a time and a date and felt TERRIBLE to make this decision, 3 days before drop off, we got an email that eventually turned into an incredible application!

These wonderful people, who we are blessed to show you, are Emilio and Sasha's new family. They told us that they had always talked about adopting a senior for their next dog and even better if they could find a bonded pair of seniors. There was nothing that could get in their way of the adoption. There were no competitors. No other dogs or cats they had to get used to them. NOTHING was stopping them from the best word ever in rescue: ADOPTION. We then let their original owner know their dogs were more than just good. Congrats to Emilio (bonded with Sasha) and Sasha (bonded with Emilio)! I can just call you Milo (new name) and Sasha from now on!