The Good, The Bad, The Foster

by Natalie Andrews

I had been slightly hesitant with the idea of fostering. I live a “city life” in downtown OKC and wasn’t sure how fostering would really fit in. Now looking back over the past couple weeks, I’ve realized that my reasons for not fostering were completely selfish- beyond completely selfish.

My foster “MENA” is one of the greatest joys of my day. I’m not saying the entire fostering process was perfect— and hear me out… she was my first foster and she almost died the second day I had her after being rescued from “jail”. This beautiful soul had pneumonia and it was bad. I mean bad. For those of you who don’t know Maria (founder of Country Road Rescue Society), she was my saving grace through this process. Already emotionally attached to my foster I stayed in the vet ICU until they would ask me to leave. Mena was in ICU for 5 days; each day was as intense as the day before. Then day 5 happened and it was wonderful. Mena came home and we have been getting her to 110% of pure ‘Mena-ness’.

This amazing creature is incredibly smart, gorgeous and sweet beyond words. Not really knowing Mena’s past but knowing how she was treated in “jail” and that she was being put down because she was “timid and shy… not compatible” – boiled my blood, boils my blood. I look at Mena and know that she is going to make good things happen… service dog, family dog, best friend and the possibilities are endless.

Everything that happened with my Country Road Rescue foster has been worth it. When it comes to fostering the only word that comes to mind is Compassion. Take a chance, open your heart, your home and you will change a life… just maybe not the one you originally thought.

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