My Fosse. Today is his 3rd birthday! We think.
Foster came to us through Almost Home No-Kill Animal Shelter in Southfield, Michigan. Some paperwork that came with him lists his birthday as March 10, 2009. That could be a guess, but we don't care. We're saying it's his birthday and it is a day to celebrate!
Almost Home had named Foster Jake, and he answered to Jake for the year he lived at the shelter. Being a social, sweet, tolerant, friendly Big Black Dog who looks like a Pit Bull, the shelter's workers and volunteers were prepared for a longer than average stay for him, but they could not understand how people were not falling in love with him after five minutes!
The only way I can explain how Foster became ours is to describe it as Divine Intervention. I had applied and listed a couple of dogs I was interested in meeting and learning more about. I arrived at the shelter in February 2011 to be interviewed, and to arrange a home visit before I could be approved for any dog I might consider. "Jake" greeted me, as was his job as "Office Manager," and after meeting a few staff members who each said, "Awwww, are you the one who's here for Jake? You are SO LUCKY!" I was asked, "So, are you ready to take this guy home?" I was overwhelmed, but not because he was a Big Black Dog. His appearance didn't even register with me until I learned about Big Black Dog Syndrome (BBD). I feel anxious thinking about how long my sweet Fosse waited and waited and waited for me to come to take him home.
Divine Intervention has given me each of my dogs and 4 of them have been big and black. Now that I know about BBD, I may "specialize" in doing my part to remedy the phenomenon, or when the number in our family is wrong, I may simply ask for the dog who has been waiting the longest for me to bring him or her home. I'm still said thinking about how long Foster had to wait for us...and I feel sadder for those still waiting for their families.
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