Want to know what's been taking my time? Well, it's the new arrivals at Golden Pines.
It all began exactly a month ago, on October 21st, when my longtime friend on the board of the Golden Retriever Rescue shared on my Facebook page, this photo of a senior Lab in a shelter in North Carolina.
And then there was this photo that went with it ....
Then there was another ....
I don't even have to say that I was totally smitten by this lost girl, that the shelter named Gretel.
But there was more. Gretel had been found with another Black Lab, that the shelter named Hansel (below) Both are estimated to be about 12 years old. And what their relationship is to one another is anyone's guess. But there is definitely a relationship and a bond between the two.
Gretel's photo on the website got a lot of attention. There were more than 3,000 shares of her photo, and many offers from people willing to go the shelter and adopt her. Hansel's photo didn't garner that much attention, just over 500 shares, and very few offers from people wanting to meet him. I am quite sure it's because his shelter-photo (above) didn't grab your heart like Gretel's had.
I let Lab Rescue know about this pair, as did many others. Fast forward through the evaluation from the Rescue, and soon transport from North Carolina to Virginia was being arranged for them.
I followed all of that. Something about this lost-boy and lost-girl, that I just couldn't forget about. And I really wanted to meet that girl that had stolen my heart. And when I found out that they were at a nearby vet, I sheepishly made an offer to foster them.
So, Hansel and Gretel arrived a week ago Thursday. This friendly and energetic duo were constant motion those first few days. They were a blur as they ran and happily played together in our yard.
The end of the first day they were wide-eyed and totally exhausted.
They have met and get along with our crew. They are really a nice and fun pair! They do have a few issues regarding their health, but we're working through them. And at some point in time, Gretel who shows all the outward signs of having had puppies, will need to be spayed.
But there's been one problem. Our cats. They are way more reactive to them than I'm comfortable with. They bark at and chase them, and I'm quite sure the cats have each used at least one or two of their 9 lives being just barely a whisker faster than they are. So, unfortunately, I've had to ask for them to be moved to another foster home. And until that happens, the cats are being kept safe, and we get to have fun getting to know and enjoy Hansel and Gretel.
At this moment, of course, I don't know what their entire story will be, or where they will end up. But I do know, that Hansel and Gretel will live happily-ever-after. ❤
Hansel