Foster Success - Cody's Foster Story

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Cody's Foster Story
By Lea Kachler-Leake

I have fostered about 30 dogs for Homeward Bound over the past three years. Each dog finds a special place in my heart. There is often a temptation to adopt them. In fact my second dog, the sweet 12 ½ year old Prince, started out as a foster (just until he recovered from his surgery), and decided to stay.

My husband Whitney and I are newlyweds, married in March 2002. Whitney has historically been a "cat person." But he knew that I came as a package deal - with an endless supply of goldens. Love me, love my dog hair was the motto of the house. Whitney was eager to be my partner in rescue work. And he was always patiently accepting of whatever foster dog came along. But I was the one who usually fell in love.

Cody with Prince and Joshua

Last March along came Cody, a chubby, curly, openhearted 8-year old golden boy who came to Homeward Bound from a Los Angeles shelter. We brought Cody home to foster because we felt he'd be a good fit with our other two golden boys, Joshua and Prince. Cody won our hearts in no time with his happy, gentle spirit, his occasional goofiness, and his passion for playing ball (and his optimistic assumption that we are always eager to play with him). Whit and Cody bonded quickly, and it was a joy to see the bond between them growing. Joshua, our 7-year old golden, accepted Cody instantly, and the two of them became pals and playmates. One weekend Whitney drove to Modesto, and he took Cody with him in his truck. He called me from his cell phone. "Honey...he's lying with his head in my lap. <Lengthy pause> "Can we keep him?" Thus, Cody became the third member of our beloved golden pack.

Our decision to adopt Cody was bittersweet, because we felt three dogs was our maximum and we would not be able to foster any longer. Well, that didn't last long. We have fostered many dogs since then, and four dogs is now the norm in our house. It has been a blessing to watch this wonderful dog teach my new husband about the joys of being a golden parent. Cody is "mom's baby," but he's definitely "daddy's boy."

Fostering is one of the most rewarding experiences that rescue work offers. What a great feeling it is to help a homeless dog who may be confused and sad, who may have come from a background of neglect, become a confident, happy, secure dog. We take them into our homes, love them like they're our own, and, when the time comes, we send them on to their forever home. People often ask how we're able to let our fosters go when they get adopted. My answer is always the same...yes, it's hard. Sometimes it's heartbreaking. But we can let them go because we know there are so many more right behind who need us.


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