For quite a number of years my wife Bobbie and I have been caring for dogs that were not ours. We began by fostering dogs for the humane society. They were all good dogs, but some of them stand out in my memory and their stories are worthy of sharing.

  The first dog we fostered was a Bloodhound named Red Man, who had been hit by a car and was recovering from a broken leg. The vet’s instructions said to walk him twice a day. Bloodhounds have their own set of interests and most of the time they do not include following human instruction. So, twice a day he dragged me down the drive and back. Looking for relief, I devised a plan. The pasture is fenced with horse wire and the dog is crippled. I will release him into the pasture, let him run free. After all he can’t get out and he is slow due to his broken leg. I took him through the barn into the pasture to show him the wide open spaces where he can run and release him. He immediately, without hesitation, does an about face, runs back through the barn and disappears. I find him three days later, sleeping in a pile of leaves, in the front yard of a house three miles away. I asked the lady if she had an extra dog and she said he had been there for a couple of days.

  When Red Man was adopted, Bobbie left a tag on his collar with her phone number. About two weeks later she got a call that someone else has the dog. Bobbie called the man who adopted him and asked if he knew where his dog was? The man says yes, he is home in the backyard. She then tells him where his dog is and gives him the number. I am confident that Red Man added lots of adventure to his new owner’s life.

  Next, we got a female German Shepherd. She was very friendly and obedient. After working with her, it became obvious that she was well trained. When out of the pen she would not leave your side. A leash was not needed to take her for a walk. She loved to play fetch. Bobbie contacted a trainer who took the dog and trained her to be a seizure detection dog for a lady who suffered with that malady. A few months later I was sitting in the hospital, waiting for a grandbaby to arrive. Suddenly a dog appeared on the television. I immediately recognized the dog and said “hey that’s my dog.” Sure enough it was her. The Memphis airport had refused to let the lady through with her service dog and it was all over the national news. The dog had become a celebrity. What more could you ask of an abandoned dog?

  Currently we serve as a holding point for adoptable dogs that are rescued from various facilities to prevent them from being put down. The dogs stay with us while they recover from being neutered and become healthy enough to be transported out of state.

  My pens have held many dogs and escape was never a problem.  But recently we have had an escape artist. His name was Ricardo. He was a stout dog and was not inclined to be held captive. The first night that he stayed in our pen, he was sleeping in the garage the next morning. The following day my grandson came over to cut firewood. When he was leaving, he asked where we got the new dog. We said what dog and he pointed to Ricardo who had been lying in the woods watching him cut wood. We worked on the pen, but this dog always found a way out. We brought him up to the house and put him in a crate, which he destroyed. He was a very happy dog and never left, but he just wasn’t going to be confined. When he left for his forever home, he destroyed a crate in South Carolina. The last time I saw Ricardo he was  sleeping on the sofa in his new home in New York.

  So, if you are looking for a dog, go rescue one from animal control. I am sure it will add adventure to your life and provide you with many good memories.