Mama's Without Kids ~NEW~ 2009 Thread - Page 29

[Scribe]

Originally Posted by jlutgendorf

Grace, how do you deal with rehoming your fosters? You foster through a rescuse, right? Does that help with it? Knowing that the rescue does a good job at checking out homes? everytime we get a good lead, I'm excited, but I also get tense and worried that they won't be a good home (and I won't send them off to a home that I think is a bad fit). But I know these little guys need to get out of here and into their permanent homes.

It's a tough thing to do, especially in the beginning. This is how it works with the rescue (and w/ every other rescue we've worked with):

1. The dogs' pictures and blurbs about them are listed on the rescue website and cross-listed on Petfinder (like this).

2. People either
a) see a specific dog in whom they are interested or
b) decide they may want to adopt from a specific rescue
and they fill out and email in an adoption application (like this).

3. The placement coordinator at the rescue reads the application. She's looking for, among other things:
a) evidence that current/former pets are or have been taken care of
b) evidence that the potential adopter has a realistic assessment of the costs (both financial and otherwise) of life with a dog
c) evidence that the potential foster is physically/financially capable of caring for the dog

4. If the application looks promising, the coordinator calls the potential and talks to him/her on the phone. S/he goes over the rescue's adoption policies and fees and talks to the potential about the responsibilities of dog rescue.

5. If that phone conversation goes well, the coordinator puts the potential in touch with the foster (us). The foster and the potential make plans for a home visit, during which the foster brings the dog to the potentials home. This is for two reasons:
1. So the potential can meet and interact w/ the dog
2. So the foster can meet the potential and check out his/her house

6. During the home visit, we check for safety hazards and look at the condition of other pets in the home, watch how the potential interacts with the dog, and basically get a feel for the situation.

7. If, post-home visit, the foster feels that the situation is a go and the potential is ready to adopt, another meeting is set up to do the adoption paperwork, collect the fee, and hand over the dog. Sometimes, more intermediate meetings are needed for either side to make sure it's a good fit.

8. After the dog is in the new home, the new owners have two weeks to return the dog to the rescue and get their adoption fee returned. After two weeks, they can return the dog at any time for any reason, but the fee will not be returned.

Sorry for the novella, but that's the process.

When we did the kittens (ourselves, not through a rescue), we did basically the same thing, only we filled all the roles, rather than just the foster one.

[jlutgendorf]

Originally Posted by Who, me?

a few thoughts on how to not hurt your knees while running:

1. what are you wearing on your feet? If you're running for more than 5 minutes at a time, you should have proper running shoes, not cross-trainers. Go to a good store and have them assess you for proper shoes.

To be honest…I don't know. I hate sneakers, I think they make me look like a freak (I know, I know, wft is wrong with me?). So they're just something inexpensive we got on sale at DSW. Natural Balance maybe? Or something with NB in the logo?

2. how old are your shoes? if they're more than a year old, they're probably done, cushion-wise.

They're a year or two old, but seriously they've been worn maybe 12 times total.

3. how long are you running continuously? Unless you're an elite athelete, take walk breaks. I run for 10 minute and walk for 1 minute, no matter what distance I'm running. It lets your joints and muscles recover and you'll greatly reduce your chance of injury.

Currently no more than 60 seconds at a time. But this is good to know, I'll tell Robert, he can run for much longer than me.

4. how are you landing on your feet? Aim for a mid-foot to toe motion, don't run on your toes or leaning too far forward; this pushes your weight ahead of your knees and causes strain.

I think I'm landing more on my heels. I think. I don't know, I'll have to pay attention next time!

5. are you stretching after working out? stretching your muscles/connective tissue will help reduce inflammation around the joints.

No, just a cool down walk for 5+ minutes. But now I will!

And this has been...a Running Moment.

Thanks for the tips!

[jlutgendorf]

Originally Posted by Scribe

It's a tough thing to do, especially in the beginning. This is how it works with the rescue (and w/ every other rescue we've worked with):

1. The dogs' pictures and blurbs about them are listed on the rescue website and cross-listed on Petfinder (like this).

2. People either
a) see a specific dog in whom they are interested or
b) decide they may want to adopt from a specific rescue
and they fill out and email in an adoption application (like this).

3. The placement coordinator at the rescue reads the application. She's looking for, among other things:
a) evidence that current/former pets are or have been taken care of
b) evidence that the potential adopter has a realistic assessment of the costs (both financial and otherwise) of life with a dog
c) evidence that the potential foster is physically/financially capable of caring for the dog

4. If the application looks promising, the coordinator calls the potential and talks to him/her on the phone. S/he goes over the rescue's adoption policies and fees and talks to the potential about the responsibilities of dog rescue.

5. If that phone conversation goes well, the coordinator puts the potential in touch with the foster (us). The foster and the potential make plans for a home visit, during which the foster brings the dog to the potentials home. This is for two reasons:
1. So the potential can meet and interact w/ the dog
2. So the foster can meet the potential and check out his/her house

6. During the home visit, we check for safety hazards and look at the condition of other pets in the home, watch how the potential interacts with the dog, and basically get a feel for the situation.

7. If, post-home visit, the foster feels that the situation is a go and the potential is ready to adopt, another meeting is set up to do the adoption paperwork, collect the fee, and hand over the dog. Sometimes, more intermediate meetings are needed for either side to make sure it's a good fit.

8. After the dog is in the new home, the new owners have two weeks to return the dog to the rescue and get their adoption fee returned. After two weeks, they can return the dog at any time for any reason, but the fee will not be returned.

Sorry for the novella, but that's the process.

When we did the kittens (ourselves, not through a rescue), we did basically the same thing, only we filled all the roles, rather than just the foster one.

Thank you Grace. That's all helpful. It would be good if I liked meeting strangers more often! I was really hoping to rehome everyone through friends/friends of friends, but I don't know if that's possible anymore.

(PS. I will have label edits to you over the weekend. Our computer crisis has calmed down at last).

[Who, me?]

AAAKKK!!!

We have no room for more furries, none I say!!! Where do they come from???

But she's gorgeous,

and sweet as pie,

And she's good with dogs...

(nonononononono no more furries, aak!)

I think we just joined the rank of "foster family".

[BurtsGirl]

AWEEEE!!!!! You guys are killing me with these cute babies! Crystal the one with the dogs is absolutely too precious!

[jlutgendorf]

bwahahaha! what, do we all have "sucker" stamped on our heads?

she's such a cutie! I agree with Rachel, the photo with the dogs going "what's this?!" is so cute.

How was everyone's weekend? We did lots of yard work. it's a jungle out there. I'm sore from everything and sadly still have lots to do! I used an entire 1.3 gallons of roundup on the newly sprouting kudzu and that still wasn't enough!

[Who, me?]

I think the "sucker" sign is a problem... A neighbour showed up with her in his arms (I guess she'd been dumped at his place), got DW to hold her, she got ME to hold him, and I think one of us started to say something like, "well maybe we can help find her a home"...and the neighbour was like "great, bye" and was off in a storm of dust with his wheels squealing on the road. Like, leave before we change our minds

The dogs are soooooooo excited about her.

We did errands and shopping and puttered around the house a bit and had DW's folks over for a bbq yesterday.

[BurtsGirl]

Friday we spent way too much money at Barnes and Noble, lol. Sat we went shopping for curtains for the bedroom and some other things. Sunday I went into work for a bit and ended up being able to get out of there early so I spent the rest of the day cleaning the house and porch. I also spent a lot of time on the couch with a good book looking at our baby Robin's. They are so almost ready to jump!

[BurtsGirl]

The pictures on the blog were taken last Wed so I need to take some new ones tonight, if they are still there.

[jlutgendorf]

I LOVE those photos Rachel! They are so amazing.

It sounds like Robert's dad is sick again (though it's not his fault this time!). He's been throwing up and is dehyrated, and his bacterial infection is back again and he may(?) have kidney failure (not clear on that part since they haven't admited him to the hospital yet, and that seems like a hospital kind of thing). So I'm not sure what's going on with that. Trouble is, they never call us BEFORE they head to the drs with an emergency, so we've never been there for his appointments. I think his dad hides a lot of the really bad stuff until it gets to where he can't deal anymore.

And on a totally different topic…I need to get remotivated at my job. What with the break in and the crappy economy and our seemlying inefficient way to do business…I need to be working harder to help finish projects faster so we can bill. Right now, I often feel checked out and am spending WAY too much time on the interwebs (and yes, it's very funny that I'm complaining about this online ). So any tips? Also, does it sound like a cop out that due to the economy, instead of looking for a new job, I'm staying here? I don't know…

[BurtsGirl]

Thanks, J. I can't take credit for them, a friend took them. I watched the house finches fly the nest today. It was amazing!

Julia, I'm in the same boat about work. I need to get re-motivated. I have some great projects in the works right now but I'm so unexcited about them. I'm not sure how to get motivation back but I'm hoping to figure it out somehow. If you figure out it first let me know.

As for staying where you are, also doing the same thing. I haven't even started to build my porfolio and I'm not going too until the economy picks by up. I think I'd like to do some freelance but I'm just not sure I want to make time for that.

[BurtsGirl]

OK, I hope you guys might shine some light my way. We have a lot of graduates this year. I've always been under the impression that when you graduate from High school, gifts are given but when you graduate from college gifts aren't normally given. When I graduated from college I didn't send out announcements. What did you guys do if you sent out announcements? Did you get gifts? Would you send a gift to a college graduate who sent you an announcement? I know they aren't obligatory. Thoughts?

[jlutgendorf]

I got gifts for both college and highschool graduation, but my family is all in AZ, so it could be regional. I also only got gifts from immediate family (parents, grandparents, maybe a couple aunts and uncles).

Honestly, as a fresh college grad, the gifts of money or gift cards to target (or the like) were the best. It would depend on the how close I was to the graduate I guess, if I would send a gift (or if I knew they were in dire straights and could really use some extra help).

[jlutgendorf]

Ok, here's a question for all of you (but specifically Grace). I haven't heard back from the rescue I wrote to about Izzy. I wrote them last week, would it be bad form to write again, just to double check they got my email? (it had pictures attached).

They're normally really good about responding right away, but the last time I wrote them (a few years ago) it was in regards to adopting a dog, not surrendering one. I also don't know if they're going to look at me all funny like because we're trying to rehome her for my ILs. Would any of this set of your "freak alert" Grace?

[jlutgendorf]

And here's some more cute puppy photos! These are being processed for stock photography, they were a little soft though, so we'll see if they get accepted.

http://eyeonlinemedia.smugmug.com/ph..._GDUqd-M-1.jpg

http://eyeonlinemedia.smugmug.com/ph...38_YzMSY-M.jpg

[Who, me?]

Our new houseguest is not 3 months old, she's at least 6.

And she's pregnant.

But only a little bit. We're getting her spayed tomorrow.

:

[Who, me?]

Originally Posted by jlutgendorf

And here's some more cute puppy photos! These are being processed for stock photography, they were a little soft though, so we'll see if they get accepted.

oooo, I : the spay/neuter one!!!

[Who, me?]

Originally Posted by jlutgendorf

Ok, here's a question for all of you (but specifically Grace). I haven't heard back from the rescue I wrote to about Izzy. I wrote them last week, would it be bad form to write again, just to double check they got my email? (it had pictures attached).

They're normally really good about responding right away, but the last time I wrote them (a few years ago) it was in regards to adopting a dog, not surrendering one. I also don't know if they're going to look at me all funny like because we're trying to rehome her for my ILs. Would any of this set of your "freak alert" Grace?

If I had to guess, I'd say it's spring, they're overloaded, and they're probably either still getting around to the email or hoping you'll go away.

[jlutgendorf]

Originally Posted by Who, me?

Our new houseguest is not 3 months old, she's at least 6.

And she's pregnant.

But only a little bit. We're getting her spayed tomorrow.

:

I'm so sorry! Spaying is probably best though.

[Scribe]

Re-send, Julia. Crystal is right--they are either busy or you're being ignored. Either way, polite re-send is fine.

That spay&neuter photo is SO cute.

Crystal, you're doing the right thing w/ the spay. It's nearly impossible to adopt out kitten in the spring.