Today marks my sixth month of being a new dog owner of my border collie-mix named Odin. We are currently hanging outside a coffee shop. Odin sits by my feet as I type this article; soaking up the sun and enjoying his first spring weather. This is a huge step for him (and probably me) as when we first met, Odin struggled in public settings.
Odin was five months old when I first laid eyes on him. Before that, we were informed he may have been relocated at least one time before he got to his foster family. The reality really hit home when I considered the situation from the perspective of Odin and felt a hint of how lonely and cold a world could feel without a foundation for your first few months of life.
Before I found Odin, my girlfriend and I had been looking for a new companion for our bagel- hound. Unfortunately, we had no luck finding the right buddy for Marley at a few rescues, but fortunately we found the Oregon Friends of Shelter Animals (OFOSA).
I originally met OFOSA when they were located out of a house on 185th Avenue that had been converted into a rescue. Walking in, you could feel the effort and drive of the team working and volunteering there. We had been looking for a local foster group who would be interested in hosting a mobile adoption at the Grand Opening for our newest and largest BarkZone location in Bethany. An agreement over four golden retriever puppies was made and a date had been cemented.
When the day arrived, it felt like destiny struck. After two months of unsuccessful adoption, my girlfriend tells me to go over to the adoptable dogs room that OFOSA had been working at our Grand Opening event. Then there he was. There were some good dogs that day but something immediately struck me about this one. He was timid and got extremely stiff when I picked him up from his foster mom, but that just made me realize how much he really needed something more permanent in his life. Within the next few days of meeting, he was living in his new home with his new brother, Marley.
Since getting him in December, Odin has played in snow, walked the trails of Washington forests, and ran on the beach of the Oregon coast. As much as I continue to see how much I’ve changed his life, I know that it is Odin who has probably changed mine even more. That is the importance of places like OFOSA. Animals come into our lives in many ways and it's important to make sure we are ready to keep them there indefinitely.
OFOSA needs loving foster homes to continue their great work. A safe and caring temporary home transitions the animals from shelter-life to their new forever home. Because fostering is such a rewarding and necessary volunteer job, some foster families have cared for more than a hundred animals!
Written by Guest Blogger: Joel Cuozzo-Gonzalez