One Foster’s Journey

April 9, 2020 | Happy Tails, 

By Brian Snow

Obviously in the grand scheme, there was no good news by the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic taking lives, stopping travel and keeping us all at home. As a sportswriter who travels all the time, it limits my ability to do my job, putting my job, and the job of many others at risk, and also it keeps us home away from family and friends.

However, if there was one silver lining for me, it was that I could foster a dog. Fostering a dog is something I have always given thought to, because I grew up with dogs, love dogs, and since my brother moved back to Cincinnati from Indianapolis and took his dog with him, I haven’t had a dog living in my house in years.

After asking around, I was told that fostering through IndyHumane was the way to go.

It was a very easy process for me, and one in which I would recommend to anybody who is a dog (or cat) lover and wants a special addition to their house during these trying times.

I went online, submitted an application, and within a few days I received approval to foster pending going through online training.

Like everything else in the world right now, the training was done via Zoom, and it lasted a little over an hour, and was very straightforward and informative.

From there, IndyHumane sent out a “plea” listing the dogs they had available for fostering.

It is weird, you would think simply seeing a picture and reading a paragraph bio wouldn’t speak to you, but the moment I saw Kermit and read about him, it did.

I simply knew he was the dog I wanted, and I immediately responded to the plea, and within a few days I was able to pick him up from IndyHumane.

As the workers, who were extremely helpful and tremendous to deal with, were filling my trunk with a bag of food, a crate for him to sleep in, and toys, I had the chance to interact with Kermit for the first time.

It became obvious to me immediately that I made the right choice. Kermit, a 55-pound mixed breed, and I bonded immediately. After he got over the initial jitters of such a big change, which including getting nervous and puking as he came in my house, Kermit made himself right at home.

For the next two weeks, as cliché as this is to say, he would become my best friend. Outside of the occasional trip to the store or when I was sleeping and he was in his crate, we were virtually inseparable.

He would get excited to go on walks, would lay with me on the couch, and quite simply did everything possible he could think of to show his appreciation for me, and likewise I tried to do the same for him.

It is weird, even for a hardened and jaded sportswriter, a dog just knows how to cut through the walls and make you feel the love. Kermit did just that. From day one, I knew picking Kermit was the best choice I could have made.

Over the course of the two weeks we spent a lot of time together and bonded. When I got the email saying that Kermit found a forever home, it was met with incredible mixed emotions.

Of course, I was sad because I knew our days were numbered together, but at the same time I was happy because I knew he was getting the life in a forever home that he deserved.

I cherished those final 96 hours with him. Even though I knew he had no idea what I was saying, on day two that I had him, I made him my one and only promise. I told him, “Buddy, I will make sure you never have to go back to a shelter, and you will always have a home from here on out.”

When I found out that promise would be honored, I had incredible pride.

However, the final night, even though I tried to act as normal as possible, he knew something was up. I don’t know how he knew, but he just did. And in his way, as only Kermit could, he let me know everything was going to be fine. He sat down next to me on my couch, put his paw over my leg, and fell asleep with his head next to me. (picture is attached)

I am not going to lie and say my drive back to IndyHumane on Wednesday morning to drop him off was easy, it shouldn’t be. However, when we said goodbye, he knew he was off to the home he deserved, and I knew my life was always changed for the better.

Kermit, I’ll miss you buddy, but I couldn’t be happier for the way your future has changed, and it is my hope that all dogs get this same story with this same ending.

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