Just a couple weeks after putting my foster puppy Jojo on transport I received a text from a friend requesting urgent help with a puppy at the shelter in Macon. I had planned on taking a short break from fostering to get a few things done around the house and give some attention to our three personal dogs Jagger, Cooper and Duncan. Thea, who was part of a cruelty case, would not be coming for a few days so I planned to break it to my husband over the weekend. Plus Thea would only be with us for a few weeks before heading north with Maine Lab Rescue How hard could it be?

But before I could spill the beans about Thea I received an urgent Facebook message from a friend. She had driven past a puppy in a very bad situation, lethargic, chained to a tree and laying in a pile of trash. I knew that animal control could not get to this puppy until after the weekend and with heavy rains predicted for the next day I was worried he might not make it.

I shared the story with my husband but never expected he would take action. I was wrong. He let me know he was taking our two larger dogs to the dog park and left the house. Thirty minutes later he called,

“I have the dog.”

I replied, “What do you mean you have the dog?”

“I have the puppy and I’ll be home in a few minutes.”

All I kept thinking is how am I going to handle two puppies? We live in a house, built in 1865. It has one bathroom and no yard. I was ill equipped to deal with more than one foster at a time. Thea was coming Monday and Otis (yes I named him after Macon’s own Otis Redding) was on his way. Neither dog was potty-trained and they were coming with all the energy of 12 week-old puppies times two.

Otis relaxing at home

The next six weeks were a blur. I went through a case of paper towels, two bottles of anti-bacterial cleanser and 6 fleece blankets. For a week I cooked the puppies a special diet of pumpkin, boiled chicken and white rice when they got sick. Eventually they became sweet, potty trained, goofy puppies and learned to walk on a leash.

Thea waiting for dinner

One broken china cabinet and chewed armoire later it was transport day for Thea, two weeks later Otis departed with The Pixel Fund . Was it difficult? Yes. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Both of these dogs are living the good life in Maine with loving families. Once I see their adoption photos it makes it all worth it.