Throughout my first year of college I longed to be a puppy mom. I wanted the companionship and the love that a puppy provides. Walking down Lexington Ave. I would always stop and stare every time I saw a cute puppy prancing down the street. That’s what I wanted, a cute and perfect puppy to be right by my side as we walked through the streets of Manhattan. So because of my strong puppy desires, I decided to foster a pup. This is everything that happened in just one short week.
Soon enough, there was the cutest four-legged animal walking around my home and this was a first. I had absolutely zero experience with animals, especially a 10-week-old pup that just arrived to New York from a high-kill shelter in Tennessee. Seeing the pup come off the transport all nervous and covered in poop and vomit, made me question if I was able to take care of it.
Let’s just say that the first day wasn’t as easy as I expected it to be. Amiee was so nervous and new to everything around her, that she trembled and cried for a good three hours. Eventually, she grew more and more at ease in her current location. She spent most of the day cuddling her toys and hiding in the crate. In a way, I was OK with that. I started to feel more relaxed and slowly but surely I started to get attached to her.
I knew that adopting her wasn’t going to be an option. Taking care of her was a huge responsibility and a full-time commitment. I was waking up before 7 a.m. just to walk her and I couldn’t leave the house in fear of what would happen were she to be left alone. Part of me wanted my life back. For the time I had lost my freedom and I learned that taking care of a puppy isn't what you think it’s like.
It may have been a stressful week, but this puppy taught me so much. Mainly she taught me how to be responsible, but she also taught me how to keep my word. I signed up to take care of her until she found an adopter, and that’s exactly what I did. With her, there was no going back. After everything she put me through, she stole a piece of my heart. Even though it was temporary, she became mine.
Once I heard that she found an adopting family, I cried the whole day. I knew it was coming to an end. It was officially time to say goodbye. This was the one time that a puppy made my Insta and stole my snap story. Whether or not this may be the last time I foster a puppy, I know not to get attached. For the week, I got the full experience of puppy motherhood. It’s most likely not for me, but the feeling after fostering a puppy is so incredible. I opened up my home to a rescue animal and that’s something worth the experience and pain.
