Fostering Rescue Dogs In Toledo. An Interview With Volunteer Patty.

“I wondered if you would donate your time to get some great shots of these guys to give them the best chance of being adopted. Im not sure if you’re able to help or not, just saw your photos and thought they were wonderful.”

— Patty

Patty Cassidy is the reason I work with rescue dogs every month. Two years ago she saw some of my dog photos and contacted me to ask if I might be interested in volunteering for the organization she fosters with, Planned Pethood. After my husband and I adopted our first dog from a local rescue, I had fallen back in love with animals. My experience with Beatrice helped me to realize how important animal rescue is and how complicated it can be to find the best possible home for each individual dog. I felt a need to use my skills to help rescue dogs in some way and Patty’s proposition was a perfect opportunity.

We joke about Patty, saying she has a magnetic personality that every dog cannot resist. They fall utterly in love with her and she is always a favorite. I can tell you that dogs really do judge character well. Patty pours her whole heart into rescue work. She fosters dogs consecutively without breaks. She transports foster pups on her day off to vet appointments, adoption events and photo shoots. Patty doesn’t just talk about rescue, she lives it. And the dogs can tell.

READ ABOUT PATTY’S EXPERIENCES AS A RESCUE DOG FOSTER:

How long have you been a foster? Just over three years.
What organization do you work with? Planned Pethood, Inc. as a dog foster.
Tell me about your family. I’m a nurse that works at UofM. Troy works as a chef at Hathaway House & Main Street Stable in Blissfield, Michigan.
Why is fostering dogs important to you? First of all, we both love dogs. With fostering, I feel that we are getting as much in return, if not more, than the dogs in need of a home. I love seeing a dog get that light back in their eyes when they were either homeless on the streets and then in a shelter or coming from a home and for whatever reason their owner could no longer care for them anymore. Sometimes that joy just takes a couple days, sometimes a few weeks or longer. The satisfaction alone in knowing that we were able to help to give a dog a second chance at love and happiness is totally worth the heartbreak of saying goodbye when they find their forever home. I don’t have kids, but I imagine it's the feeling parents get when then send their child off into the world lol.

How has fostering positively impacted your family? We both feel we are making a difference in the lives of these dogs and it's a way we can give back to the community.

What has been your hardest foster experience? The hardest experience was taking in two senior dogs, China and Bailey, when their owner passed away. Initially they were scared of everything and everyone. They only knew life with their one owner for the last ten and twelve years. It took them many weeks to become comfortable with us and our three dogs. Eventually they felt at ease and came out of their shells. We had China and Bailey for six months before we found a wonderful home for them. We had debated about keeping them, but knew five dogs was past our limit and we wouldn't be able to foster dogs any longer. We also thought these two deserved to be the only two dogs so they could get undivided love and attention. Saying goodbye was definitely one of the hardest goodbyes.

What was your most rewarding? Our most rewarding foster was also the hardest with China and Bailey. Seeing them thrive today and get completely spoiled makes me so happy and proud that we had a part in it.

What would you say to someone who might be considering fostering? Fostering a dog has been one of the best decisions we've made. I always hear people say "I couldn't do that because I'd keep every dog" and yes, we've already had a foster fail (Louie). However, when you find the perfect home and get updates on your fosters, it brings a happiness and pride to you that's unmatched. When you're sad and missing your last foster, then it's time to move on to the next one and do it all over again. It's also a great way to find the perfect dog for yourself if you're looking to adopt. Planned Pethood is a great organization to volunteer with. You can decide how often, how many, and who you want to foster. If you need a break from fostering you can do that too. If a dog you're fostering does not get along with your dogs or is too much to handle, they will work with you to find another foster. Also if you find that fostering just isn't for you, you could just do the one foster and be done.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING OR FOSTERING WITH PLANNED PETHOOD, FIND INFORMATION ON THEIR WEBSITE HERE: HTTPS://WWW.PLANNEDPETHOOD.ORG/WAYS-YOU-CAN-HELP/FOSTER.HTML

REBECCA TRUMBULL IS A FAMILY AND PET PHOTOGRAPHER LOCATED IN TOLEDO, OHIO. SHE HAPPILY SERVES TOLEDO, OHIO AND ALL OF NORTHWEST OHIO WITH HER PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORK.

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