Today they hit me like a ton of bricks.  Usually I can predict when I’m going to feel sadness at a dog moving on to their forever home.  I guess today I’d been busy and it really hadn’t hit me.  Not only had the two siblings leaving not really hit me, but the fact that I was separating this bonded duo didn’t dawn on me until it was time to do it.  I’m thankful for small favors.

Snickers and Frankie were littermates and rescued together but through the shuffle of who had availability in their homes, after their grooming, one went to one foster home and one went to another.  If you remember, Frankie was part of the two that I took to Petsmart for grooming.  I got Snickers about two weeks ago and as you’ve read, he is doing great – now even getting excited at little things like feeding time and going outside - believe me, this was progress for him.  Snickers was enjoying his new life as a DOG.

About a week ago Frankie, Snickers brother, moved back in to Causey Kennel.  It was so great to see the two reunited.  I was concerned about space in my home as I was one crate short and now had 8 dogs in the house - not to worry, the two slept, huddled together in the same crate, sometimes licking each other’s ears and face, Snicker’s resting his head on Frankie’s body - it was clear they knew each other.  They would walk in UNISON in our back yard – what one did, the other mimicked.  If one began to eat, the other ventured to his bowl.  If one came up the steps from outside, the other followed.  It was as if they were letting each other know it was ok to do each new thing – they trusted each other.  One day they realized they could jump on the couch…..well one did…..and not surprisingly, the other followed.

Within 2 days of each other, we found homes for the boys.  Arrangements were made for them to go tonight – both of them.  Ugh.  It’s bad enough to have to say goodbye to one foster – you’ve bonded with these guys over the past few weeks but having to say goodbye to two in one night is rough.  Then I realized, THIS WASN’T ABOUT ME!!!  I wasn’t losing two fosters in one night – these guys were losing each other and I had to break apart this little union – not only had I bonded with them and them with me, but they had bonded with EACH OTHER, again.  I wonder if they know that as much as I am the good guy, I am now going to have to be the bad guy. 

I let Frankie and Snickers say their goodbyes and promised them both that they were moving on to wonderful new lives in loving, amazing homes.  I then drove Frankie to his new owners and waited for Snickers new mom to come pick him up – somewhere in there I shed some tears - remembered that we are merely the bridge and reminded myself of the immense amount of trust that these animals put in us to make the right decisions for them and do the right thing.  They depend on us for every ounce of their existence from what kind of food they eat to when they get to go to the bathroom to when we say goodbye to them.  We have huge responsibilities but with those responsibilities come the most precious gifts and rewards.  Good luck to these two most resilient brothers – may you live the rest of your lives out in nothing but happiness.

Frankie & Snickers

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