January 7, 2010
“In a perfect world, every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog.” – Author Unknown
My original plan was to spend two nights at Best Friends when I visited in December, but I knew when I got up on the last morning, my plans would change. As I’ve mentioned before, leaving is always the most difficult part of a Best Friend’s visit, and though my trip had been full of emotion, I needed to stay one more night. Best Friends allows guests to have sleepovers with dogs and since I had dinner at a friend’s house the night before, I was unable to participate. I made my way over to the office to make arrangements for the sleepover, but soon found myself in the adoptions office.
The adoptions office is not the office where sleepovers are arranged, but I took this opportunity to visit with Adoption Coordinator Marti Stoffel to discuss the adoption process. She and her dog Ruby were sharing her tiny office that day with Debo, a wonderful little pit bull who Marti was considering adopting. Ruby lay quietly resting during my visit, while Debo stood close by, gratefully accepting behind the ear scratches and treats.
Debo
Not wanting to waste Marti’s time, I explained that I was there to select a dog for a sleepover, but was also interested in gathering information for possibly adopting in the future. She graciously shared her time with me. There are many dogs available for adoption, and if you can’t see them in person, they can be seen on the Best Friends website. Marti takes great care in discussing what sort of dog will fit a person’s lifestyle, and I was impressed with the knowledge that she possessed about all of the dogs at the sanctuary. She explained how potential adopters and volunteers can view files, which are kept on each dog, that include information on their behaviors, as well as medical and emotional needs. The files also contain notes left by volunteers providing further insight and history.
All potential adopters are carefully screened, beginning with an application. Once approved, a member/volunteer of Best Friends visits their home to make sure they will provide a safe and comfortable environment for their future dog. Best Friends also provides follow up calls after the adoption, and they honor a lifetime commitment to each dog, should the new owner no longer be able to care for them. Much more information can be obtained on adoptions by visiting the Best Friends website at www.bestfriends.org.
Marti and I continued to talk for a time and we decided to meet after lunch so I could tour with her and select a dog for my sleepover. Little did I know what the future had in store for me.
Marti and Ruby
