Dennis and Wilson, an adorable, bonded pair, have officially been adopted by their long-time foster, Amanda LaRiviere. Amanda is also the hard-working, dedicated volunteer dog foster/adoption coordinator at POPP.
Dennis and Wilson were rescued from a busy street in Kennewick by two good Samaritans in March of last year. They may have found each other on the run, but our hunch is they were dumped together, as neither was neutered, chipped, or had on a collar. They had to be moved from their rescuers’ home as they were not good with their cats.
Amanda wanted to share the following on this monumental adoption:
We have fostered for almost thirty years. In that time, we’ve cared for somewhere between 500 and 600 dogs. Before you picture a hoarder house, which we are not, keep in mind that fostering litters of puppies makes that number climb exponentially.
Last month was the one year anniversary of us fostering these two clown dogs, Dennis and Wilson. I have never witnessed a more bonded pair. They are inseparable, and, thank goodness, it is a healthy bond that they share. Separating them would have been beyond cruel.
Most people have shown interest in one or the other (usually Dennis because of his adorable underbite) but not both. A few people who showed interest in both were not a good fit for one reason or another. So here we are, one year later.
A combination of factors has led us to the decision to adopt them. Like I told my husband, I have maintained an intentional effort over the years to maintain laser-focused on our mission: to help as many dogs as we possibly can.
“Foster fail” has become a popular phrase, and yes, foster fails are often celebrated.
Yes, we do celebrate Dennis and Wilson’s adoption, but too many foster fails lead to missed opportunities to help more dogs. So, while I am overjoyed to have them officially join our little family of three (Tom, Sheldon (POPP alumnus) and myself), I do not make this decision lightly because it means a limitation of my abilities to foster.
Rescuers often hear “I could never foster; I would want to keep them all!” Yes, I pretty much do want to keep them all… almost! But fostering has never been about us, the humans. It’s about the dogs and helping as many as possible.
I stole a line from Heather, from our cat foster/adoption team, a few years ago. When asked how she can let her foster kitties go, she says “why would I help two when I could help two hundred?” That says it all, Heather!
Dennis and Wilson, I am thrilled to have you in the family. I have fallen in love with your quirky, hilarious personalities, and I know you appreciate it as only once-homeless animals can.
How You Can Support Pets Just like Dennis and Wilson
Are you feeling inspired by Amanda and potentially interested in fostering? You can read this blog to learn more about what it’s like to foster with POPP. You can also get insight from other fosters on their experience fostering with us in this blog. To sign up to be a foster, please complete a quick questionnaire!
If you are unable to foster, you can still help with the cause! You can donate to POPP and support the care of the animals within our care.
Interested in becoming a volunteer with POPP? We have a variety of roles you can choose from!