Many times I’ve spoken of the ups and downs attributed to those who take on the welfare of our precious pets.

All those at every level experience both elation and heartbreak often within the very same day, I, as you well know, call this the emotional roller coaster.  Because of this, it is not unusual to witness many changes.  There are only two staff members that remain at Foothills Humane Society (FHS) from when I began working with and for them some six years ago,  Lani (bulldog) and Dana (blue whale).  Over the years these two dear friends and I have exchanged many smiles, tears and sometimes harsh words for our frayed emotions are sometimes held together by a thread.

It has been just bout a year now since I first saw Misty, with a giant tumor hanging from her thigh the size of a volleyball. Misty had been neglected in many ways, she needed some dental work and she hadn’t been spayed.  I had the tumor removed and after all her shots and healing, she was quickly adopted by a loving family. After seven months in her new home I received a call wanting me to pay for all her dental work.  After explaining that there’s no way I could continue to carry all the animals I’ve placed in homes, Misty was dumped back to the shelter, once again proving my point that love is not enough. I was crushed for it seemed that this sweet girl was destined for a life of neglect, yet through it all Misty constantly exhibited love and appreciation to all who came in contact with her.  I have since had all her dental work done and had her spayed and given her all the love I could muster along with the rest of the staff.

Enter Amber, who for all intents and purposes has replaced me at the shelter. For over a year now Amber and her husband, Tim, have been managing a rescue called Pitiful Pits, that alone endeared her to my heart.