Foster Friday: Oscar

Oscar the Almost Boxer

When I applied to foster for SCBR, there was a beautiful white boxer in a Central Florida shelter they were trying to find a place for.  Well, to make a long story short, another rescue pulled that guy, Bill came and did my home visit and a few days later Oscar showed up.  I knew Oscar was a hound-boxer mix and heartworm positive and good with other dogs but that was about it.  I had never fostered dogs before but I thought it would be a good way to test the waters before jumping in and adopting.

When Oscar came to me, he sort of knew some of his basic commands, but he's really good at picking up new things.  It was only a few weeks before he knew he needed to sit before I would put his leash on to go out, that he wasn't allowed out of the garage without me, sit, stay, lie down, and box (the command I use when I want the dogs to go in their crates).  He's a super sweet boy and also now knows his leash manners when we walk.

 Oscar LOVES kids!  He couldn't understand why my friend's daughter thought 'in and out of the box' was the best game ever, but he played along anyway and had a great time.  He is the happiest, sweetest boy when the kids come over to play.

Who remembers the 'More Dogs More Happy' picture?  Oscar is definitely a happy guy and all of that happy can be a little infectious!

While Oscar was with me, I learned a lot.  I learned why SCBR rescues boxers, almost boxers and honorary boxers (Oscar is an awesome almost boxer).  I learned heartworm treatment really isn't as scary as it seems.  I learned some dogs really just don't like to be up on the furniture.  I learned Oscar likes food.  ALL sorts of food.  I learned all sorts of new training methods and discovered some hands-off approaches for correcting behavior.  I learned how completely awesome foster dogs are.  I learned that I fall in love with any dog that comes into my home within a matter of minutes and I will be simultaneously heartbroken and over the moon when that dog finds a new home.

Oscar is spending the weekend with a great family in the Tampa Bay area this weekend and they have decided they really like him.  For a heartworm positive guy who had very little hope in a central Florida shelter, Oscar sure has come a long way.  It's hard to let a foster go, but knowing this loving (and incredibly loveable) guy wouldn't be here without the foster homes he stayed in before he came to me makes it a little easier.  I am incredibly happy for Oscar and he has come such a long way it's impossible not to be proud of him.

He will always have a place in my heart and in my home if he should need one ever again.

But I doubt he will.

Wellness Wednesday: Have a Hurricane Plan?

Hurricane Ivan, 2004

Here in Florida, we got a very early reminder that it's hurricane season.  Not quite two weeks in and we've been through the first tropical storm of the season.  This is the time of year when everyone is supposed to get hurricane supplies together and have a plan.  For pet owners, that plan involves a little more...  Over the next few weeks we're going to cover severe weather safety for pet owners.  There are plenty of things to take into consideration when making your plan and we'll try to cover as many as possible here...

KNOW YOUR EVACUATION AND FLOOD ZONE

Knowing which zone you live in can really help with planning.  If your front yard floods every time there's a bad thunderstorm, it probably isn't safe to stay for a tropical storm or a hurricane.  Check with local emergency management websites if you are unsure about your evacuation zone.  These sights can also help you prepare for any emergencies that might occur during or after a storm.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

Knowing your evacuation zone can help you make this decision.  Your decision to evacuate may be dependent on how strong the storm is as well.  Will you be able to keep yourself and your pets safe if you stay home?  Will you evacuate to a shelter or make other arrangements?  If you do decide that evacuation is the best plan, make sure you have supplies ready and leave early.  It's no fun to have anxious pets in a car during a stressful situation and leaving early can help ensure that you make it to your evacuation destination safe and sound.

REGISTER FOR A PET SHELTER

Many counties now have pet-friendly shelters but most require you to register well before a storm and space is always very limited.  Pinellas County has three, Hillsborough County has two, Pasco has one, Polk County has three and Hernando County has one.  Priority is given based on evacuation zones and to those living in mobile homes.  Almost all require pet owners to provide proof of immunization when you register.  Contact your local emergency management to see if a pet-friendly shelter is available in your county.

Always follow directions from emergency personnel.  Having a plan helps to keep you and your pets stay safe during an emergency.  If it isn't safe for you to stay, it isn't safe for your pets either!  Never leave your pets behind!

Weekend Wrap Up

Today's weekend wrap up is short and sweet!  We had a new addition of the newsletter go out last week and that covered a lot of what we've been doing lately.  If you missed it, you can find a copy here.  If you'd like to receive future newsletters, there's a tab on our Facebook page to sign up.

This past weekend, we welcomed Babas to the SCBR family. When we first heard about Babas, the story was his last vet suspected he had cancer.  Our vet's preliminary findings suggest he does NOT have cancer (great news!), but we're running more tests to be sure.

Summers are always rough for rescue groups.  We need the most help with fosters, adoptions and fundraising during this very busy time of year.  If you're interested in fostering or adopting Babas (or any of our other wonderful dogs), fill out an application.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE:

Our big push right now is fundraising.  We will quickly find ourselves so far behind, it will be almost impossible to catch up.  Right now, we have YouCaring fundraisers running to treat Lucy's heartworms and pay for vet care she and her puppies have already received, for Buster Brown's surgery to remove some lumps on his side, and for JR's skin condition vet care.  Please share these fundraisers with your friends and family members.

We are also very excited to announce a fundraiser with Pampered Chef that's running through the month of June!  Our consultant, Christine, has set up an online party for us.   When you're on her homepage, click on 'shop online' and enter the word 'second' where they ask for host name.  Click on the Second Chance Boxer  link (Tampa, FL is the location) so our party gets credit for your order!

WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW:

If you have any contacts in the hospitality industry, we are looking for old mattress pads to use as crate liners for some of our compassionate care dogs and some of our fosters going through vet treatment.  We can also always use more towels, blankets, old sheets, etc. for our fosters as well as for dog washes, transporting animals, etc.  If you have any you'd like to donate or know of a contact in the industry, please email us here at secondchanceboxers.florida@gmail.com.

We can't do what we do without our supporters in the community.  Thank you all so much for your continued encouragement and support!  Please continue to share our fundraisers and donation drives with your friends and family!