Here’s the beginning of Tulip’s story.
Day 1
I give Tulip her heartworm preventative and flea/tick treatment. I take Violet and Redford’s doses out of the cabinet and set them on the counter to remind myself to apply them when they come inside.
As I sit at the computer, Tulip finds something at my feet and munches it. I don’t know what it is, but it’s gone by the time I realize what’s happening.
A few minutes later, I go back in the kitchen and notice there’s only one dose of meds on the counter. I search for the second. Nowhere. Is it possible my foster dog ate a tube of Revolution? Yikes. I observe her for twitches and/or explosions. Nothing.
Day 2
I still can’t find that tube.
Loose dog again on the walk. He gets real close, and Redford goes bananas. A woman driving by says, “Do you need help?” I tell her, yes, can she please put her car in between the loose dog and my dogs until I can get far enough away? She does. Kindness of strangers, saving my ass all over the place these days.
Day 3
At 8:30pm, before our walk, I drive my car around the loop hoping to catch a better glimpse of the loose dog in order to give Animal Control a description tomorrow. He’s not out.
We do the short loop just to be on the safe side.
Day 4
The babysitter picks up Tulip after work. Do you think Tulip could learn to get along with other dogs?, she asks. I tell her, based on the one session with the volunteer from CCB, yes. Because she was thinking maybe her dog, the one she has joint custody of with her ex, needs a sister…
…!
Days 5
I get a phone call from Tulip’s babysitter. Tulip crapped on the dining room floor, and is there a signal she uses to indicate she needs to go?
Dammit.
I tell her no, she hadn’t pooped inside since her intestines were infested with worms months ago.
Day 6
I get a Facebook message from the babysitter saying Tulip took about 24 hours and “now it’s like she’s lived here her whole life”. She thinks Tulip’s “found her home” if [CCB] will let her do it and if she can be OK with her pooch.
…!!!!!
Not getting my hopes up though.
Day 7
The babysitter emails to say Tulip has developed a fan club in the neighborhood. She’s met dogs without incident and settled in like she’s lived there her whole life. The babysitter can bring her back to me after supper “or just keep her forever”.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still not getting my hopes up.
I tell her she can keep her as long as she wants. In her next message, her tone seems to change a little: The president of CCB hadn’t responded, and she really wanted to hear her thoughts and ideas about handling any introductions. “And who knows?” she adds. “She might not even think that Tulip coming here for a furever home is a good idea. We’ll see.”
…?
She brings Tulip back to me at 8:30pm and tells me she spoke with the organization. They’re going to do a home visit and meet her other dog.
But she already submitted the adoption application.
Must not. Get. My hopes up.