Being in a crowded shelter can really take a toll on a dog. That’s why a pup named Remy stationed at a high-kill shelter was labeled “fearful” and “a biter.”
Shortly before this seemingly un-adoptable dog was set to be euthanized, he went home with a foster family: Lisa and her daughter Aubrey. Lucky for Remy, his foster mom had years of experience volunteering with a nonprofit animal rescue.
At first, Remy hid in the bathroom and trembled when anyone got close. A veterinarian determined that his anxiety likely came from his recent experiences:
“We took him to the vet to get behavioral tests. She said, he’s not a biter, he was just completely scared in those loud shelters.”
A Little TLC Helps A Scared Remy Unwind
During the first several days at his new home, Remy resisted even being pet by Lisa. That is, she told The Dodo:
“Until one morning I woke up to find that he had made a friend!”
Lisa heard Aubrey gently talking to Remy, and the little dog was rolling over, leaning against his human sister. For some reason, Remy felt safe with Aubrey.
“He just needed some love, you could tell.”
It’s so fortunate that Lisa gave this “biter” a chance to show who he really is: a sweetheart. After the bond between Remy and Aubrey grew, this turned into a classic “foster fail.”
In an Instagram update, Lisa wrote about their new dog’s progress:
“Now, Remy spends his days hanging [with] his 5-year old human bestie running through the sprinklers, jumping on the trampoline, and eating just about everything he can (making up for lost time). We can’t imagine life without him!”
Remy Becomes A Foster Parent Himself
About a year later, Lisa fostered four extremely small kittens from the same high-kill shelter in Riverside, California. These kittens were just seven days old when she intercepted them and took them home with her.
It turns out being around the newborn kittens brought out the parenting gene in Remy. These kittens needed to be bottle-fed every few hours, and when Aubrey or Lisa got up to feed them, Remy joined in on the activity.
“Then all of a sudden, one day Remy just laid there. He was so sweet.”
The little kittens, three girls, and one boy, instantly took to this slightly larger animal. Lisa explained:
“All four of them loved him. I think they thought he was [their] mom. They tried to nurse off of him.”
Two of the kittens were later adopted, and the heartbreak of seeing them go made Lisa and Aubrey realize they couldn’t lose the other two: Cooper and Princess.
“We had fallen in love with them, and we were like, “Okay, we’re not going through that again.” We couldn’t give them up.”
Princess and Cooper grew a lot bigger, but they still lean on Remy like he’s their mom/dad. They all groom each other, play with one another, and sleep side by side… And this dog was once red-tagged for euthanasia due to his so-called hostile behavior.
“To see Remy’s growth in particular, from being about to be euthanized at the shelter to being the best dog ever. He became something for all of us!”
Follow @rescuedroommates on Instagram to see more love between three species of family members. And remember: fostering saves lives!
H/T: The Dodo
Featured Image: Instagram/Instagram