Isabelle (pictured right) is as sweet as can be. She is available for adoption, learn more about her here.

Dear Potential Adopters,

Thank you for considering my foster dog as a new addition to your family. What an exciting opportunity awaits her in your home! Before I can give her to you though, there are a few things that I would like to share with you.

My home for this little girl was only a temporary stop. I was only keeping her safe until you could be found. While she was with me I knew that she was not ‘mine’ and that she would never be ‘mine.’ This did not stop me from loving her. While she was in my home she was held, she was cuddled, she was loved unconditionally. Now it’s your turn.

When you adopt her and take her into your home, you are making a promise to her. You are promising to be committed and dedicated to her. Your adoption is not conditional. She will still be your dog when life gets tough, when the unexpected happens, when a job requires a move to a new city, when the new baby comes. Never forget that you are her life. She will always depend on you. In return she will love you and be faithful. Love her back. Embrace her as a member of your family and never let her down.

When she meets you for the first time she will love you within a matter of minutes. Before she even falls in love with you though, she will shower you with her kisses and her affection. This little girl loves her people. She always wants to be close to them. She deserves to live in the house with the rest of the members of her family. Never consider a dog house in the yard a substitute for a bed in the house. Even the thought of her being an outdoor dog is enough to break my heart (and I know that it would absolutely break hers too!)

You are adopting a very special dog. She’s a smart little girl and she’s as fast as a whip. I’ve taught her manners and some basic obedience but there are a few things that you should realize. There are times when she will forget her manners and will jump on you in excitement. When you two are out for a walk she may see a squirrel and forget all about walking politely. There’s even a chance that she might have an accident in the house someday. Never forget that you are adopting a dog. Just like people, dogs are not perfect and they never will be. Love her even in the bad moments and in spite of all of her quirks. And help her to be the best dog that she can be by taking her to obedience classes. Make her an ambassador for the rest of her breed. With your help she can do it.

Finally, I’ll leave you with this statistic. Nationally only 1 out of every 500-600 pit bulls that enter a shelter or animal control will ever make it out. Your new dog is one of the lucky few. She made it out and made it to a foster home so a second chance at life could be found for her in your home. As I hand her off to you my only request is this: love her even more than I loved her and take her into your home for forever. Your new dog was lucky enough to get a second chance at life, but there are no guarantees that she’ll get a third chance. So I hope that when you submitted your adoption application that you did so wholeheartedly and with the intent to make her a part of your family and to love her until her very last day.

Congratulations on your new dog!

Filed under: Observations & Reflection