Happy July, everyone!
Can you believe we’ve already started the second half of 2026? Henry and I are amazed at how quickly the year is flying by.
Summer is in full swing now – vacations, barbeques, time with family and friends – all are top of mind right now. For many, the warm temps and sunny days are a sign to slow down and take a break. Unfortunately, rescue can never take a break. Just like Scout and his two buddies that were dumped on a back road in South Georgia, dogs who need us have no break. They need us, and we’re there to help them – with love, compassion and needed medical care.
We also need to make sure that our pups are properly monitored and cared for as the temperatures rise. Please scroll down and take a moment to learn more about signs to watch for in an overheated dog.
When Henry came into the AGA program, he was cared for by a wonderful Foster Mom. He wants to make sure that every dog entering our program is greeted with the warmth and love that he experienced, all in preparation for getting him ready for his forever home with me! To help Henry fulfill his wish, we are asking that you consider stepping up as a Foster parent – either short term or long.
Fosters give dogs who have been abandoned or unceremoniously dropped off at shelters a moment to breathe and decompress from the noisy, impersonal and – to them – overwhelmingly scary experience of being in such an environment. And to be fair to the shelters and all of the angels who staff and work with them, they are so overcrowded and overworked that individual care for the dogs is generally just not possible.
Additionally, dogs who have had the privilege of having a home – but, through no fault of their own now do not – adjust to their life altering circumstances better in a home than being placed in a boarding facility. That is just traumatic to them, as you can well imagine. While boarding facilities provide excellent care and are an important resource for many dogs, nothing compares to the comfort of a loving home. Foster homes allow dogs to decompress, build confidence, and experience the routine and affection that prepare them for a successful adoption.
Fosters play a pivotal role in ensuring that the dogs who enter the AGA program are gifted the absolutely vital sense of confidence and self-worth – they are the bridge that allows the dog to decompress, to learn how to trust and love again, just to be a confident dog!
The Fosters are the folks who – ultimately – are responsible for preparing the dogs for their forever homes. This is such a pivotal role in our dogs’ rehabilitation.
Henry and I ask you to please take a look at our Foster requirements below and consider joining this very important team. Without Fosters, it’s harder on the dog to make that transition into their forever home. They need us, and we need you!
So, please, take a moment to consider how you can help us help those without a voice or a home find their own happy ending – just like Henry did!
We thank you for everything that you do to support AGA and the dogs we’re on a mission to rescue.
Stay safe and cool!
Patti and Henry
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