The Perfect Plan for Garnet
By Jenny Sullivan
SDRO Adoption Coordinator
My dog Allie's play date with Gretel, her St. Bernard buddy, was an upbeat tussle of dogs and balls until I noticed the tears in Gretel's owner's eyes. "Karina!" I said, "What's wrong?" My eyes swung to Gretel, but she seemed just fine. What on earth could be so wrong?
"My Aunt Kathy is dying of cancer," Karina blurted out. "I've been trying to help her. She's not afraid to die; she’s just so worried about what will happen to her dog, Garnet. Will you talk with her about Senior Dog Rescue and if it might be a good choice for Garnet?"
"Of course! I'd met Garnet, a gorgeous red Chow mix, a year ago at Karina's, but I hadn't known about her owner's cancer.
Over the next two days, Allie and I met with Kathy and Garnet to discuss how Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon might help. Kathy told me she hadn't found a suitable place for Garnet, the aging dog. All while we talked, Garnet sat with her head in Kathy's lap. Did the pretty dog understand Kathy would be leaving her? I think she did.
I ended my description of SDRO's guidelines for saving older dogs by assuring Kathy that Garnet wouldn't be placed in any home where I wouldn't place my own dog, Allie. I emphasized how important every dog is to SDRO. Garnet would live in a loving foster home with the best care until we located the perfect adoptive home.
I showed Kathy the SDRO website with photos of the wonderful senior dogs in our care. She was especially interested in the Happy Tales of dogs and their new families.
"Would the transition be hard on Garnet? She's almost nine years old and hasn't known another owner." Kathy was right to be concerned, but after fostering over 25 dogs, I could tell her dogs were resilient and soon attached to their new families. A further safeguard is the two-week trial period adoptive families must agree to before the adoption is final.
Kathy was smart and capable. She knew she'd had an amazing life with Garnet, and now it was time for her to release Garnet to SDRO so the dog could start her new life. I pledged to do my part in the perfect plan for Garnet. Kathy, a no-nonsense person, nodded, and for the first time since we began talking about Garnet's future, she gave me a huge smile.
Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon does everything possible to assist people in crisis who need to find a new home for their older dog. From our adoption team and foster volunteers to our generous donors who provide funds for the dogs in our care, we are committed to finding a loving and sustainable home for senior dogs.
You can be part of a perfect plan. Consider becoming a sustaining donor as a Friends of SDRO. All non-profits need a predictable and reliable source of income. As a Friend, you will help us with this important building block, enabling us to focus on our mission to rescue as many senior dogs as possible. Learn more about Friends of SDRO
