The pitter patter is gone....

When your in animal rescue and your an active foster mom you get used to things.   But it takes a while to get used to it....Then once its gone you feel empty even with a house full of fur babies left.

Tonight I have 11 dogs - down from 13 just hours ago.  Bella an 8-10 week old pit bull I rescued from the Cedar Rapids Animal Control only 6 days ago has a new family - 99% sure so she went on a home visit.  Then little Luke a 12 week old pit bull I rescued from a high kill shelter in Chicago came on Saturday and he is now in ICU at Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails fighting for his life with Upper Respiratory Infection- Pneumonia on both sides of his lungs.  

Let me take you back over the past 6 days.   When you introduce new dogs to an already good sized pack there is a certain level of calm insanity and a little stress because everyone is figuring out if they are going to kill them or take them under their wings.  So we have mass hysteria, noise, and lots of feet sounds.   Then by day 2 everyone is happy but its still mass hysteria only because the noise of feet is 8 paws louder every time we play, run, chase, go outside. 

Then everyone gets really comfortable on the 3rd day and the playing REALLY starts so add 52 paws, and 13 voices and you have some noise.

By the 5th day the new puppies are testing their boundaries with their foster mom just to make sure she is still the pack leader....And this is when the other 11 dogs decide to try it too:)

Then comes the 6th day when a foster mom has to take one to the ICU and worry then take the other to their new family and so many emotions at the same time can't be more confusing.  But it doesn't truly hit you till you come home and there are 8 less paws and 2 less voices and it feels like your house is empty even with 11 dogs still home.

What a wonderful day for Bella and a scary day for Luke and all I can say is I'm proud to have been their mom!   I look forward to the day when I hear Luke's big clumsy feet clomping on my floor! 

Luke is on the left, Bella on the right and Koda in back.  3 of the most wonderful bully kids a foster could ask for!