Finding Fortis

When Fostering Becomes a Forever Home

By Carrie Patterson

When Fortis came into our lives in February of 2016, she was broken literally broken. She had been used as a breeding dog for several years. She was malnourished and afraid. It was surmised that she had been thrown from the window of a moving car and left for dead on the side of the road. The local road crew came by with a shovel to pick her up, and when they realized she was alive, they took her to the local shelter. My husband and I met Fortis through Angels Among Us Pet Rescue (AAUPR). We had been interested in fostering for several years, but we hadnt taken the leap because we were afraid of the unknown.

On Superbowl Sunday, I was on my computer when I came across a beautiful dog that needed a foster on the AAUPR Facebook page. The next morning, I received an urgent Facebook message plea from a woman Id never met who would later become a dear friend and mentor. Her message was a video of Fortis trying to walk in the shelter, but she was dragging her back legs. With a simple plea Please help me save her. That was all it took for me.

However, my husband Chris took a bit more convincing. He agreed to meet the AAUPR volunteer at the emergency hospital where Fortis would be treated for her broken back. He planned to walk in, take one look at her, and say, No way. We arent fostering. Instead, Fortis took her first look at him, and it was love complete, immediate, and total love. She dragged herself over to him, scooted behind his legs, licked his hand, and looked at him as if to say, Finally my person is here. Ive been waiting for you.

Everyone who saw Chris and Fortis together knew it was love at first sight. They knew we would foster fail this dog (an amusing, loving term for adopting your foster). But there was no way. We werent going to be one of those first-time fosters who foster failed. We had a responsibility! Our responsibility was to heal Fortis body and spirit, so she could trust again and be a perfect companion for someone. We even had the perfect type of adopter in mind. We were just waiting for Fortis to get better, so we could begin searching for that perfect person for her.

We saw Fortis through the treatment for her broken back. This treatment required us to help her walk, go to the bathroom, and take turns sleeping downstairs on an air mattress until we purchased an old sofa off Craigslist. The treatment also required us to help her through a spay surgery that almost killed her, followed by another surgery to remove masses from her spleen. Fortis had five tumors removed, and then she had a consultation with an oncology specialist, dermatologist, internal medicine specialist, and a neurologist all with the support of AAUPR, which was made possible by donations to the organization.

My husband realized that not only was it love at first sight for Fortis, it was also love at first sight for him. With more difficult treatment down the road, we realized that there was no way we could let Fortis go. She had unconditionally trusted us with her life and her care for almost a year. We were more than happy to accept the responsibility for Fortis for the rest of her days no matter how few or how many they might be.

We officially adopted Fortis in November of 2016. After nine months of caring for her, we realized what she had known all along that she was finally home.

The story of Fortis IS the story of rescue. AAUPR is the largest foster-based organization in the southeast. Without people willing to open their homes to shelter pets, there would be no way to save the lives of dogs like Fortis. Fortis would not be here today if it werent for AAUPR.

Since Fortis came home to us, we have fostered over thirty more dogs including litters of puppies, severe medical cases, and cases where criminal charges have been filed against the former owners.  We continue to support the organization and encourage others to foster whenever possible. The truth is simple fostering saves lives.