For this edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap we reach into an element of the animal community that should be regarded as “hallowed.” These people are doing the work of angels. They are fosters -- the temporary homes with the permanent hearts.
Our featured slumbering dog is a fostered fellow named Otis.
What caught our eye was this photograph of Otis fully involved in “R&R S,” i.e., rest and recovery slumber.
Patty Sprong, the animal advocate who loves to foster, is Otis’ angel these days. For the sleeping photo of Otis, she wrote, “When you feel like crap from your heartworm treatment, you put yourself to bed. Poor Otis. Hang in there buddy. You will feel better before too long.”
As you can see from the second photo, Otis is capable of putting on a happy face and displaying quite a set of ears -- yes, he's an Earhound!
Patty is fostering him for Humane Tomorrow. He’ll probably be available for adoption later this month. Get your application in at www.humanetomorrow.org. [LARRY ASIDE: Volunteer to foster. The more fosters, the more animals Humane Tomorrow can save.]
How did Otis wind up in the care of Humane Tomorrow?
Patty says he was “an owner-surrender to the Mineral Wells shelter. He was so gentle and sweet that the shelter staff loved him and fought extra hard for him. When they found out he was heartworm positive, they thought all hope was lost. They were THRILLED when Humane Tomorrow pulled him anyway.”
Patty is a veteran at fostering. That means she’s also a veteran at giving up a piece of her heart when the dog she’s fostered moves on to that new home where he or she will be loved and respected and protected.
What will the adoptor get when Otis comes to live with them? [LARRY ASIDE: Don’t let that third photo give you any ideas even though Patty’s caption on the Facebook post read, “Oh, Otis...Is that your guilty face?” Otis is a good student when it comes to learning household rules!]
“He is a wonderful dog who just loves attention, loves to go for walks and rides, but is just as happy sitting with you on the couch,” Patty says. “ He's about 5-6 years old and weighs 29 pounds. He looks like a ‘Honey I Shrunk the Shepherd’ but we have no idea what he is. I suspect there is some Heeler in the family tree. He looks an awful lot like a Kelpie as well.
“He lives with two little dogs who boss him around. He also lives with a cat ...” [LARRY ASIDE: That’s Mia from a 2015 photoshoot for this feature -- she sleeps on a throne, it appears, or anywhere she wants.]
Patty continues that Otis “would need a dog-savvy cat because he will chase the cat if it runs! He is doggy-door trained and prefers that to the crate. He is a sensitive soul and a big baby. I would recommend him for older children because he hates to have his collar pulled, tail stepped on, etc.. After being left outside in a 10 x 10 run for over four years, he is just learning that he can trust everyone.”
Here’s my favorite line from Patty, including Mia the Cat’s attitude about Otis.
“I hope to find him a wonderful home, but I will miss him lots; the cat...not so much.”
Bless Otis for maintaining his happy dogness.
[LARRY REMINDER: Send photos of your peacefully, trustingly slumbering dogs and cats and “others” to [email protected]. We’ll post their photos and stories in the internationally read feature Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. You’ll help hearts realize they have a home for an animal. You’ll help insomniacs realize that they, too, can get some sleep if they can just find the right cage to stretch out in and nod off when they need R&R S -- Rest and Recovery Slumber -- the need can arise after a medical procedure or, of course, after a night on the town.]
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