We want to take the time to appreciate ALL our foster homes who help us care for the Newfies entrusted to SCNR. Many of them, in fact the majority of them, are not members of a club, and may never see this, but they are people who love and have a passion to help care for others. They give of their time, their homes, and their compassion. When introducing a foster dog they also knowingly and temporarily change the dynamics of their own household and dogs. It is a leap of faith that it will work out. It is a commitment. It is a step outside the comfort zone for all beings in the foster home.  Not only are the people fostering a “strange” dog but their own dogs are being asked to accept that dog as part of their pack.  So often we hear that the foster’s own dogs are really the ones who help nurture the foster dog through transitions and help them work their way through things that are new or fearful to them. Our own dogs are as much a part of the foster process as we are. It is truly an amazing process to watch unfold. It makes us realize what wonderful creatures we live with. It shows us compassion on a whole new level.

On the flip side our fosters show a strength of character because they are moved from what they know (no matter how good or bad a situation) to a totally new place. How many of us would accept, with grace, being moved from our homes into a strange new place with 5 other people we did not know and yet be asked to function as part of that group immediately? Probably to be honest none of us can say we could do that. Yet that is exactly what we ask of a new foster dog, and they cope with the changes presented to them with such amazing adaptability.  Some need more time than others, but they cope.
 
Fostering is a change for both the foster home and the incoming dog. It requires trust and time on both sides. In the process we ask more of our own dogs than the average home does. And when the time comes that a forever home is found for the foster dog there are tears as goodbyes are said. Foster homes understand it will be emotional, yet they put themselves in vulnerable positions to help a dog in need. They have become attached as have their dogs to the new friend in the house. The pack order is shifted once again and the foster family’s household has to adjust to the change. Being a foster home is not easy, but it is gratifying to see how a foster dog blossoms with care and help. Being a foster home is not easy but it is proof that we have room to care for more than our own.  

Friend - So what do you do on the Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend when you’ve just flown home to Indiana from your daughters Naval Academy graduation and your husband and son are still driving in from MD?  Relax. Enjoy those quiet few hours.

​SCNR Co-Chair - So what do you do on the Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend when you’ve just have gotten home from driving your friend home from the airport and are home alone with the dogs?  Relax.  Enjoy those quiet few hours.
NOT pick up texts from your SCNR Co-Chair!!!
But I did. Starting about 9:20pm.  Ending about midnight.  Starting with 7 puppies(possibly needing rescue in the future) ending with 9puppies, mom AND dad needing rescue immediately.  

Transport? Foster? Its midnight now…. Pick up arranged for 10:00 am. the next morning! Road trip back  to Ohio, to meet SCNR Co-Chair, exactly where friend’s husband and son were driving thru as we were texting….

What do you do when you get that notice, that a dam is dropping her puppies at a large outdoor festival in 87 degree heat and 87% humidity?  And that the owner needs to turn the entire family into Rescue.  Who do you turn to for a foster???  Your friend who you just dropped off!  Who had incidentally told you just within the past month that they were ready to foster a puppy or a younger Newf. 9 newborn puppies does not equal the weight of 1 Newf, right? And how much trouble is a nursing mom? Right? What about Dad? Who can foster Dad? Another late night text to another friend who just happened to still be up and willing to move some dogs around to accommodate another large dog  on a holiday! Thank You Kelli C. for going above and beyond at the last minute!
Yup that was the moment our summer vacations took a turn for the unexpected.

We wish to sincerely thank the Simonson’s for taking in, literally on a moment’s notice, 9 pups and a mama to foster for us.  The pups came to them at less than 12 hours old.  They went home healthy and happy at 11 weeks old.  They did an amazing job of nursing them thru illness, weaning, socializing them, teaching them all to swim, giving them a great platform to go out and become the wonderful dogs they are destined to be.  It was one of the most work intensive summers they will remember for a long while!

What happens if your heater goes out in December, or your water pipes spring a leak, or your AC goes out in the middle of July?  You call a repair person to come out ASAP.  We all need someone to help us with the things we cannot handle ourselves. This is what Rescue does, it handles the dogs that someone can no longer handle themselves.  Or the ones that have found themselves in a place that they need help getting out of like a shelter.  Rescue is akin to the repair person you call, you expect them to be there as soon as they can.  We too are expected to respond as soon as possible, some situations are dire, others we can work over the course of a week.  All need our help.  Rescue does not have “business hours” we find ourselves making arrangements any time of the day or night, it is not unheard of to be texting at midnight, hours after we should have gone to bed, to arrange something for the first thing the next morning.  Rescue is not about judging the situation we are helping the dog out of, it is about helping the dog in need.  All dogs have their story, some we retell, others we let drop into their past, as sometimes it really does not matter, it is the dog who matters.  What matters to us is helping that dog heal, be it emotionally or physically, or both.  Some just need a helping hand to get them on their path to a new life, others need a village to help them.  Rescue’s network of caring helpers is that village. We reach out for transportation help, we reach out for foster help, we reach out for financial help, we reach out for home check help, we reach out when we need help.  And our village of helpers is there, sometimes it is new people, other times it is someone who has helped us over and over again, We could not do it without you.  

Remember when you meet a Rescue not to judge where they came from and why, meet the dog, be kind to who you see. Someone asked us for help and we were there, that is what truly matters.    

We wish to welcome Heather to our Rescue Committee, she is a veteran Newfoundland owner, a huge supporter of Rescue throughout the years and has recently joined forces with Susan, Leslie and myself to help us with our sometimes staggering load of emails, communications, and organization.  We are lucky to have her among us!

​~Virginia