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Our Furry Carer – By Foster Carer Gareth

Tuesday 02 March 2021

This story was written by our foster carers

 

It’s one of those mornings where it feels like life is falling apart.

And so I sit with Charlie in her favourite spot (at the top of the stairs) and cry.

She looks at me, with her gorgeous black lab eyes, sits up, and offers me a paw. I like to interpret it as her comforting me. In reality, she’s confused about why I am sat so close and yet not offering her a fuss.

When I began my journey into fostering, I worried that having a dog may be a barrier to getting approved. Or that it may cause problems later down the line.

It’s been quite the opposite.

One day, while chatting with my three foster kids we got onto the subject of things we could live without. Ice cream got mixed votes. Chocolate much the same. But we were all in strong agreement on one thing… we couldn’t live without a dog.

Charlie patrols the house, like our resident head of therapeutic tail-wagging. It feels like she’s always on the lookout for who needs her most. And without ever really noticing, she just seems to appear, ready to comfort, energise, and cheer us up.

The process starts each evening. She tracks my youngest going to bed and usually keeps watch as they fall asleep. The times where she doesn’t stay is usually met with complaints shouted across the landing.

In the morning, I’m normally awake a little too early for Charlie. If I’m lucky, she’ll acknowledge my movement with a quick glance, followed by a noticeable lack of effort to move. Once the kids start to wake up though, her day begins.

“Who will need me the most today?”

If you think you, and your pet could make a difference to a child or young person’s life, get in touch with us today.

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