Consider Being a Foster Parent for an Italian Greyhound Rescue - Guest Post by Terry Nirider

This guest post is by Terry Nirider, one of the many hardworking volunteers who works for the IGCA Rescue-Houston. There is always a need for foster parents to take care of the rescues who are surrendered to ICGA Rescue-Houston. There are more dogs who need care and fostering than there are foster families to provide shelter, love and to socialize these often traumatized Italian Greyhounds so they can be adopted out to permanent "forever" family homes.

Terry has been gracious enough to share a bit about her foster experiences and the place these loving dogs have occupied in her life.

Terry: I’ve been working with IG rescue for about six years now, I think.  Although I volunteer in many areas, during all of that time I have fostered and am convinced that it is the most rewarding area in which to serve.  

Admittedly, I’ve had my share of  tiny blue females – even experienced foster failure with one – but the more I do this, the more I am drawn to dogs who will have a hard time finding that perfect forever home we want for each and every IG who comes through our doors.  

Two of my past fosters were puppy mill girls – both had had many litters and were absolutely traumatized.  Each of them was with us for a year, during which time they very slowly began to trust and allow their inner Iggy to show.  

Both of these girls found families who were just as special as the dogs they adopted.  Their willingness to love these dogs despite and because of their limitations is inspiring to me in a way that I just can’t describe.  No matter how dispirited I am after reading the morning paper, I know the world is good because people like these adopters live in it.

Another favorite category of mine is the seniors.  I admired the people above, but here I give the credit to the amazing dogs.  They are calm, dignified and exhibit such grace.  When they look you in the eye, there is wisdom.  

Really! They give me a model to follow as the birthday candles accumulate.  Yes, there are a few that don’t fit that description – one comes to mind.  She is hairless, toothless so her tongue hangs out, blind and I think she may have a mild case of dementia.  As if she weren’t “blessed” enough, now her hearing is going and she has a skin condition.  But she is the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen.  

You guessed it -- another foster failure.  It’s unfortunate that senior dogs who come in to rescue sit in foster homes a long time, but don’t feel too sorry for them.  You’d be amazed how many foster families feel the way I do – let others have the puppies, just give us the old ones and however long they are with us is just more time for us to enjoy them.

My husband and I are retired so spend a lot of time at home and that allows us to help another category of rescue dog that is closest to my heart.  It's a sad truth that by the time dogs get into the rescue program, many have endured everything from trauma to severe neglect.  

Sadly, conditions develop which take them out of the running for families looking to adopt.  You would be amazed – I always am – that there are seriously saintly people out there who are touched by these animals and take them along with their ongoing medical bills, determined to live happily for as long as there is.  

But for many more, their foster home is the last home they know.  We experienced foster failure with a couple of these dogs, too, but I finally decided it was a piece of paper that didn’t matter.  They owned us completely, heart and soul.   

It has been our privilege to love many of these very special dogs and each one has left a little tender place that no other animal can fill.  Probably.  But maybe the next one…!  It’s a little embarrassing when people say “So how many dogs DO you have?”  I never meant to have five, but what are you going to do?

One other comment about volunteering for a rescue group.  I often hear people complain that the causes for which they volunteer are filled with people who are catty, demanding, argumentative, etc.  

When you are volunteering with dog lovers, you just don’t run into that.  The people attracted to helping animals are all softies, and the biggest men have the gooshiest hearts of all.  They talk baby talk to their dogs and aren't even embarrassed -- how great is that!  

So if you are looking for a place to spend some time helping – choose an animal in need and you’ll find that the people you encounter are just as inspiring as the dogs.

If you are a resident of the state of Texas and are interested in volunteering for the IGCA-Rescue, you don't have to live in Houston, please contact Terry Nirider by e-mail at: tnirider@gmail.com

If you live in a different state, please contact your state's Italian Greyhound Rescue to volunteer. The Texas/Oklahoma IGCA Rescue website has a list of IGCA Rescues in other states listed on the left sidebar as you scroll down the page. Simply find your state and click on it to get in touch with the Iggy Rescue in your state.

Lucky - Our Favorite Foster (Alec's Too!) - Consider Fostering an Italian Greyhound!

Lucky was a tiny seal (black), seven pound Italian Greyhound who had spent the first 7 or 8 years of her life as a puppy mill breeder. Lucky had lost her left hind foot sometime during her puppy mill years. Life as a puppy mill breeder had not been kind to Lucky.

When I picked Lucky up from the family who had done her take-in, it was evident Lucky had not only spent her life giving birth to puppies, she had not been socialized for human contact. Lucky was in essence a feral dog!

Upon arrival at our house, Lucky wasted no time letting Angel, our mixed female, and Berkeley, our biggie Iggie, know who was boss and there would be no questioning her authority! Alec was a different matter entirely. Lucky was seemingly smitten with Alec. It was love at first sight! Poor Alec never knew what hit him!

Lucky lived with us as our foster for over 8 months before she was adopted. When she left our family for her forever home, Lucky had gone from a nearly wild dog who was terrified of humans and being inside and who would bite to defend herself, to a gentle, loving little diva, who loved nothing better than napping sprawled across a human member of our family. Nothing that is except snuggling up to Alec!

The Itsy-bits, Alec and Lucky, outside together.

The link to a video below was filmed and produced by Jean Stiplevich and was used to help "market" Lucky to potential forever families. So many people had taken one look at spunky little Lucky's missing foot and passed on adopting her, extra measures were taken by the IG rescue to help place Lucky. Alec appears here and there in the video and you get an idea of just how small these two Iggies were. They were so small my wife Lisa dubbed the pair of lovebirds the "Itsy-bits."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tT-aYrXGU4

Lucky was a determined little customer who would not take no for an answer. Once Lucky decided humans were not so bad, she decided sleeping in a crate by herself was no longer the way a tiny princess should spend her nights. Especially since loverboy Alec and pest Berkeley got to sleep under warm blankets with their humans.

So that night Lucky started barking. This in itself was unusual as Lucky just didn't bark. She kept this up the entire night, depriving the humans of the house of any sleep, not that Lucky cared.

The next night as soon as all was quiet, Lucky resumed her policy of no human sleeps until she was in bed with Alec! After trying to get her to sleep with our youngest daughter, Emily, for several hours, my wife Lisa in a fit of irritation said to just get Lucky and let her sleep with us. If Lucky still kept barking she was heading to another foster home!

Up the stairs I went to get Lucky. I opened the door to Emily's room and a little black missile sped between my feet, down the stairs, took the corner skidding on our hardwood floor and zoomed down the hall into the master bedroom! I got back in bed, not even bothering to look for Lucky.

About twenty minutes later I was awakened from a sound sleep by snarling from Alec. It would seem little Miss Lucky had found her way under the blankets and was muscling Alec out of his preferred sleeping spot during the winter, snuggled against my side under my right arm while resting his chin on my shoulder.

In the dim light I could see poor Alec's confused expression as he looked at me, almost as if to ask "what am I supposed to do with her?" That night a content Lucky slept comfortably in Alec's spot, using Alec rather than my shoulder for a pillow.

Alec gave up trying to resist Lucky's advances fairly quickly and each night with a resigned look on his face, Alec would move to let Lucky have the preferred sleeping spot. Poor Berkeley just looked on each night with a sad expression as Lucky would not give him the time of day, other than to let Berkeley know she thought he was rude and boorish!

Lucky "muscles" Alec out of his Daddy's lap once again!

The Itsy-bits became inseparable and followed each other everywhere. While we were happy Lucky was finally adopted, we were sad to see her leave as was Alec, who was sad to see his little princess go.

We learned several years later that Lucky lived out her days as a spoiled little Iggy Princess who ruled the roost. She developed cancer and passed away in her sleep one night. 

While Lucky lived the last years of her life being loved and spoiled like all little Iggy Princesses should be, there are still far too many Iggies who live horrible lives working as breeders in puppy mills. Any chance you get, please support efforts to shut down puppy mills and put an end to the horrible conditions these animals, regardless of breed of dog, live in.

When puppy mills are closed, often large numbers of animals must come into rescue or be put to sleep humanely. These animals have done nothing wrong other than have the misfortune to become the possession of a puppy mill operator. Please consider being a foster parent for a dog needing shelter, medical care and socialization until a forever home can be found.

To Lucky and Alec, a pair of puppy mill survivors whose years were too few in number. Both are classic examples of the kind of wonderful, loving and entertaining companion a survivor of a puppy mill can become. They just need a chance.

 Lucky relaxing with me after a demanding film session for her debut film!