Foster Dog #5-Serena

Where to even start… I’ve been trying to convince Tyler to let me start fostering again for what has felt like forever now. Every time I asked, he had good reason to say, not yet, now’s not the time, but I kept asking anyway–persistence is key. I waited {almost} until after the holidays to bring it up again and finally got the go-ahead, er sort of, to apply to foster for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC). I applied on Christmas Eve, completed the video and quiz, and was immediately approved. For sure the easiest foster application I’ve ever completed which tells you just how big of a need there is in the valley.

I’ve been following a few different Arizona volunteer pages on Instagram for quite a while now, to include @loveisapittie, @lifewithhazel.and.zelda, as well as @tarasfostersaz, all of whom volunteer at the MCACC West and East shelters. I’m always so inspired watching other people advocate for the underdogs too, so when I was approved I immediately reached out asking if anyone knew of a pup who could really use getting out.

Here were my only requirements: dog friendly and cat friendly. Oh, and no puppies, because I don’t have time to devote to a puppy. Emily from @loveisapittie immediately suggested Serena, a sweet pittie pup who was starting to deteriorate in the shelter environment. While she was dog friendly with dogs of all sizes, there were mixed reviews on her being cat-friendly, but ultimately Emily felt her personality suggested she would be indifferent.

This suggestion came on a Wednesday, I went to the shelter on a Thursday, with the intentions of bringing her home on Friday if I felt she would be a good fit. Fast forward to Thursday after work and I met a volunteer from One Love Arizona in the play yard with Serena. While Emily told me Serena could be timid with new people, she happily met me at the gate gently wagging her tail. I talked with Josh, who had spent quite a bit of time with her, and asked about her story and everything he had come to know about her.

Turns out, this was her second time at the shelter. From what I’ve read in her paperwork she arrived as a stray in April 2018 and was very timid and shy, though great with other dogs. She was adopted in May 2018 and then returned December 5th, 2018 due to a new baby being allergic. I’m not here to place judgment on people who take their dogs to shelters, because ultimately, it’s just not my place and I don’t know everyone’s story, but I did ask if they tried to return the baby instead–probably why I don’t have kids.

Regardless of how she ended up there, I decided I liked her energy and thought we could help her by getting her out of there. (On a side note: One of these days I’m going to try to teach people how to read animal energies. I know, I know, I sound like a hippy, and it’s more about reading body language, but this is so vital in picking out the right dog for your family, whether foster or adopting that it deserves a post of its own). I was still planning to take her home Friday since I knew I had to work and didn’t want to bring her home just to leave her. But guys, if you had seen how she was happily walking on the leash until we had to detour and turn back around towards her kennel, and the way she melted to the ground and didn’t want to walk again– you wouldn’t have made her go back in either.

So I surprised Tyler, said I was bringing her home that night, and asked him to take our dogs out for a bike ride to burn some energy before I got home with her (Because I can already tell this post is getting long-winded I’ll save how I do introductions for another post). She rode so nicely in the car and almost immediately fell asleep.

I’m now sitting here, writing this on Saturday night and she’s passed out snoring on one of the dog beds in the living room. Guuuuys, she’s the best! She reminds me so much of my sweet Remi hound; the kindest thing that just lacks confidence. She has put up with Rooster’s obnoxious shenanigans, proved that she truly doesn’t have a prey drive for lost old lady dogs who wander around, or spastic kittens that think it’s a good idea to sniff her kennel within 5 minutes of her showing up, and overall shown how much she loves her people.

I can’t keep her, I can’t keep her, I. can’t. keep. her! So let’s work on finding her a worthy family while I work on building her confidence. Someone is going to hit the jackpot when they decide to take her home, I just know it. And to whoever that person is, I’ll always be here to be your doggy life coach to make certain that Wednesday, December 26, 2018, was the last day Rena ever walked into a shelter.

For more information on how to adopt Serena, or any dog from Maricopa County Animal Care and Control feel free to comment, message, or e-mail me here, on my Facebook Page, or on Instagram @nonstopdogtalk.