I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the various animal rescues out there. I just started volunteering with Austin Boxer Rescue and the experience thus far has been truly amazing, even if just for a few days.

Right now I have two foster furbabies at my house, these are their stories:

Nessa (Neysa is her ABR name).
Just the other day I volunteered to go pick up Nessa from a kill shelter 100 miles away from here, her time was up. She had been there for two weeks, just 8 months old. Her original owner "went away" and his animals were left with his mother who "just didn't care". They have all been to the animal shelter several times because they continually were getting out of the yard. Well honestly, I would escape too if I were starving. As of now it would have cost this woman $800 to get them back because of the number of offenses. Nessa came to me very underweight and covered in ticks. My husband and I spent at least 2 hours getting off all that we could find and then bathed her with RID shampoo in an attempt to get the rest. **She now is on frontline to catch the few we didn't**. She was very scared at first, not knowing what to expect (she still runs away when the leash comes out and has absolutely no desire to get in the car), but has taken quite well to my home and the other dogs. You'd think that she has been here with us her whole life. The plan is to keep her forever *keeping my fingers crossed*.

Emma.
Emma came to me today, totally unexpected. I had scheduled to have a home visit done with a representative from ABR, standard for their fostering and adoption programs, and they had just returned from Round Rock where they had picked up Emma from her previous owner. This owner just decided they didn't want her anymore. They stated they had her since she was a puppy, she is 10 years old now. They said their 2 year old lab didn't get along with her, I suppose that was their reason. Anyhow, they representatives of ABR were not able to contact the woman who was to be her temporary foster so I volunteered to take her until they could get in contact with her. Poor Emma has done nothing but mope since coming in my home. She will not eat, not even table scraps and it took 6 hours to even get her to take a drink of water. All she wants to do is lay on the couch and sleep. The only way we have been able to get her to get up and move is to pull out her leash, she is more than willing to go on a walk. Tomorrow I will be taking her to Temple to be with her temporary foster family. I would love so much to find her a permanent foster ASAP so that she doesn't have to deal with the loss of her family again and go through this agonizing depression. If anyone is interested in being a permanent foster for Emma, there will be no fee for this through ABR. I don't know all the details, but I'm pretty sure that all her veterinary care will be covered by them also. She needs a loving quiet home to live out her days. I would keep her myself but my house is just too busy for her. :(

If you would like to see a picture of these beautiful furbabies, send me a blinky and I will send you one (can't seem to figure out how to put pictures up on HU anymore). 

Emma is still in need of a foster home. Check out this CL link to see a picture of her.

http://killeen.craigslist.org/pet/2293573019.html