SOME THINGS TRULY ARE MEANT TO BE!

Some of our rescues are surrendered by owners for a variety of reasons. Recently, we were contacted by a heart broken owner who had 3 bostons, family pets, much loved and well cared for. They are a military family and the husband had been deployed to a location requiring the family to relocate to military housing. The base could only allow 2 dogs. The family made the very difficult decision to keep the two senior dogs and surrender the youngest, Marilyn, to us.

About the same time, we received and approved an application for adoption from a family who also runs the Southwest Virginia Ferret Rescue. Their only requirement was that the boston would get along with the ferrets. Marilyn's family also had ferrets! What? Did we hear that correctly? A dog from a house with ferrets and a family wishing to adopt a dog who was ferret friendly,all within a 2 week period! Could it work out that well?

Oh yes it can. Here in part is an update we received from Marilyn's new family:

What can I say about Marilyn? She is sweet, special, wonderful, loving..... We have had her for 3 weeks now and she simply fit right into our family. We feel that God truly blessed us with her. Because we have had a Boston in the past, we knew this was what we wanted again. The call to surrender Marilyn came in right after our application was received and she came from a home with ferrets!! She has jumped the gate and joined us in the ferret room several times. The best day was when she and Little Bit, a sweet little girl of barely over a pound decided to play together. Little Bit ran in and out around Marilyn's legs, getting and giving licks. Both of them went bouncing around the room!

She has chosen my husband as her special person and will whine when he leaves for work. She will stand in his lap and look him right in the eyes like she expects him to explain the world to him.

Yes, some things are meant be - how wonderful for Marilyn and her family complete with ferrets!

WITH TIME - ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

Baxter came into foster care in September 2006, terrified and shaking. He was nutured in foster care and quickly found a new forever home. His new family understood that he needed special care. Baxter was featured in a November 2006 blog with pictures showing his progression from a cowering dog afraid to come out from behind anything he could find to the more confident and handsome boy he was to become.

We re-visit Baxter now to remind all those who are considering adopting a rescue of the many rewards which come with teaching a dog love and safety when they have known fear and danger in their past. It has been said that a dog will lick the hand of the master who has just hit him because they are by nature forgiving and loving beings who want nothing more than to be in the company of their human companions. Why though would anyone want to raise a hand to a dog with anything other than a pat or a scratch?

Our volunteers look into those eyes so full of hope and we find the promise of what could be and work to find the spirit within. To those who adopt and offer a forever home, we trust that they will continue the work we have begun and that every dog will become all they were born to be.

The Boastful Boston wanted to share a recent picture of Baxter - no longer hiding, no longer afraid. He has found his spirit! This is one of the rewards that reminds us all of why we do what we do and that it is oh so worth it!

Fly Baxter Fly!

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY!

In many cases, BTRNC does not know the actual birthday of our rescue babies. One of our volunteers, who fostered and eventually adopted sweet Demi, renamed Thumper decided to celebrate Gotcha Day. Each year on the anniversary of the date Thumper came into their lives there will be a celebration. What a wonderful idea!! Rather than assigning a birthday, celebrate the date that is known... the day a fur baby enters foster care or is adopted into a forever family. The Boastful Boston hopes that everyone who is fortunate to adopt or foster a rescue dog of any breed, will carry on this idea and make it a tradition. Here is Thumper's story as told by her forever Mom.

On January 20th, 2007, an underweight and bald little Boston Terrier named Demi came into our lives. Demi had demodex mange so bad she no hair but for a patch of white on the scruff of her neck.

She dropped into our lives as our "temporary" foster dog. After two days I asked BTRNC if we could be her permanent foster parents. Thankfully we were allowed this privilege. Demi did not know what a toy was. She did not know where she was supposed to go to the bathroom. She didn't know when she'd get her next meal. She needed time and love. We were willing.
So we fed this starving and quite pitiful little girl - and she ate that food so fast it took her less than one minute to eat an entire cup of food. We bathed her and gave her medicine. We clothed her because she was always so cold! We gave her our bed. Then, slowly she grew her fur back.

She learned what a toy was and what a joy it was to play with her new foster sister Clover. She learned that we'll come home at the end of a long day and we'll give her hugs and share kisses. We asked BTRNC if we could adopt her. We had fallen hard for our little girl. They said yes, so we renamed her Thumper for her silly antics she did - pounding on the ground to get the cat to play with her. Today Thumper knows she's home and she knows she is loved. Not only is she loved by us but she is loved by so many who helped Thumper and us through the rough patches. She is always going to have a special place in both of our hearts. Thank you BTRNC and Happy Gotcha Day, Thumpy!!

BTRNC is very glad Thumper got "got" too. Happy Gotcha Day to adopted babies everywhere!

FROM MOTHERHOOD TO A FINDING A MOM

MISS EMILY HAS A HOME

We never know what we will find when we rescue a boston. Some are in great health, some have behavioral issues, some, a list of health problems and as the case with Miss Emily, a few unexpected passengers. Emily was very pregnant! The puppies were born a few days after arriving in foster care. Happily, Emily had landed in the home of one of our most experienced foster moms. Taking it in stride, our volunteer added the task of welping a litter of puppies to her new duties with Emily. When they were born, the looked exactly like Boston Terriers. As they grew, they looked less like bostons but nevertheless adorable. Fearing that they would be slower to find homes on our web site than in an all breed rescue, they were handed over to another rescue after being weaned and vetted. We knew they would remain safe and cared for until they found homes. We know it was hard to bid these babies goodbye but as always, we act in the best interest of the dogs.

Fully recovered from child birth, Emily was adopted into a loving home who keeps us informed of her progress. Here, in part, is a letter received from Emily's new Mom:

I can’t begin to explain how lucky I feel to be Emily’s new mom. I knew the first time I met her that we could be forever friends, and that she was just what I was looking for in a dog and a companion. She’s a beautiful girl, inside and out, and she has the sweetest demeanor…she’s a dream!

She likes to be right beside me all the time, and she is more than welcome to be my constant shadow!

She’s also great with other people and other dogs. Her new best friend is my brother’s boxer, Josie. They play and play until they’re totally pooped, and then they play some more. She loves kiddos, too…on Halloween, we put her pumpkin necklace on her and went trick-or-treating with a neighborhood full of ghosts and goblins, and she just trotted right along with our parade! I know in my heart that Emily and I were meant to be, and I can’t thank the wonderful folks at BTRNC enough for bringing us together.

It looks like Emily has a new mom to call her own. We wish everyone a long, healthy and happy life!

You found the perfect spot Mom - keep scratching me right there! That's wonderful.