
The shelter had done her no favors with the behavior evaluation she was given. The shelter notes say she was trembling and fearful and tried to escape. Well, who could blame her? A smart girl like Gorda probably knew she was not in a safe place and wondered why she was not still in her home (she was surrendered for reasons unknown). The assessor felt she should go to an experienced home with no children.

When I picked her up she was terribly frightened and understandably so, considering that, in a span of only three weeks she had been in three different homes, a kill shelter and a boarding kennel and was now coming to yet another unknown place. Fortunately, my friend Lauren came with me to New York City to pick her up and help me get her home.

Every person I told or showed her picture to said unequivocally that I was going to get attached to her and want to keep her and all of them were right. I loved her – a lot!

Being that I was in Connecticut and the rescue was in New York, I knew I would not be able to bring her to adoption events and figured I would have her for quite some time. Imagine my surprise when, after only three weeks, a family in my very own town applied to adopt her. When I saw that it was a family with children and another dog, I knew that she would like it there and that they could probably give her things that I could not. Plus it was in my own town and I could visit her. It was a win-win.
But, as I frequently say, everything always seems to turn out as it should. The day we were supposed to meet, it poured and we had to postpone. In the meantime another application came in for Macy from a woman who lives about 15 miles away. I arranged to take Macy to meet both potential adopters on the same day. When we met the first family, the introductions to both their dog and their three-and-a-half year old daughter went perfectly (remember the shelter said no children – well that was obviously inaccurate). However, since their first contact they had decided that it might not be the ideal time to adopt another dog and wanted to wait a few months.


Macy went home last Wednesday, October 8, 2014. I only had her for a month and a day but she touched my heart like few ever have.
If you have never fostered a pet, I would highly recommend it. It is an experience I will never forget and I am already thinking about fostering another. Fostering saves lives, but it is really only one step in the process. Even though the initial placement did not work out, without the person who advocated for her and sought rescue support, and without the rescue that pulled her and took responsibility for her, Macy would have died in the shelter. This beautiful, sweet dog would have died needlessly, scared and alone. The saddest part is that it happens to thousands of dogs like her every day. We need to do better.

I will just say “so long, Macy,” because it is not good-bye. I am one of the lucky ones – because I had you in my life and because I know I will see you again.
Enjoy your new life, Macy. Mickey and I will miss you.