*KitKat The Foster Dog

KitKat has found a great home! After just a week of being at our house, she was spotted by one of our neighbors, on one of their daily beach walks. Anne and Peter have recently lost their curly-coated retriever named "Augusta." My husband and I have lived in our neighborhood for 7 years, and we became to know Peter and Anne through their dog. Augusta was an angel, and always stopped to sniff in our yard on her walk down to Ocean Beach. About a year ago, Augusta developed cancer. I was always struck by the manner that they cared for her, during her time of great need. They began to cook her dog food, and were so gentle with her it made my heart soar to know there were people like this out there.

About a month ago, I saw the both of them without Augusta. I knew the answer before I asked the question. They let me know that she had passed and they were just trying to get through day by day. I felt like a piece of me was also gone. The next day was September 25th and unexpectedly, my husband and I had to euthanize our 11-year-old black lab, Skye. He had developed a terminal cancer, and was internally hemorrhaging.

When you lose a dog, the grief is hard enough. When you have another dog left behind, it is compounded. You watch their grief and can do little to ease their loss, other than many happy walks to the beach and as many treats as her stomach could handle. The family decided to foster again, to pick up all of our spirits.

Last Friday, I brought KitKat home. A lovely female chocolate lab, who came to our shelter just a few days before with her 5 puppies and their father, a black lab. KitKat's owners were in the middle of losing their house in foreclosure. They did not have the money to feed her, so they fed her every other day. When I brought her home she only weighed 35 lbs (she should be at least 55.)

The following Wednesday, Anne and Peter saw KitKat on their nightly journey to the shore. Anne was immediately struck by KitKat. The next day she called me at work and told me she wanted to adopt KitKat. Since they run the election from their house, they asked if they could take her after Tuesday's election. So Wednesday, she's going to her new home forever. Thank you Anne and Peter!

Here's a picture of Anne with Augusta. Anne is an exceptionally talented artist, please visit her website: http://anneherbst.com/.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent!!!