On Being a Failed Foster Parent of Dogs – Molly

Recently, I wrote about being a Failed Foster Parent of Dogs and featured my first foster dog, Grace.In Blog No. 2, I want to introduce you to Molly, a now five-year-old almost Jack Russell Terrier.

Molly did not come to me through a rescue group – she came to me through a neighbor.Our conversation was one of those “across the fence” conversations we a tied to a tree ll have with neighbors.Our conversation centered on family pets. My neighbor, Reid, mentioned that, on a walk with his best canine friend, Jack, he saw a “cute” little dog on a very short leash tied to a tree.Reid said he had seen this dog several times before, always tied to the tree with hardly enough room to turn around.He told me he talked to the owner who she was trying to find a home for the dog (her name was “Dog”).I listened to Reid talk about how sad this dog looked and how much he wish he could find a good home for her (that should have been my clue as to what was coming).I agreed that the situation was very sad and hoped someone would take the dog.

The next day, Reid stopped by again and asked me if I would consider giving “Dog” a home.I stammered and stuttered but continued listening as he described how sweet this little girl was.Well, what could I do but say yes.The next day, the owner of “Dog” brought her to my home, handed her to me and said thank you – and promptly left.

I looked at this sweet little girl with such trusting eyes and immediately thought of Pollyanna, the happy little girl of books and movies.I put her down and she ran around my fenced yard barking at everything.She did that for what seemed like an eternity – I think she was enjoying her first freedom in her young life.She finally tired of running and came back to where I was sitting, laid down on my feet and went to sleep.Molly joined our family in 2009, right after Grace came.She and Grace became fast friends and I think that it was Molly’s love of everything that helped bring little Grace out of her shell.