“Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.”
We want to shine a light on two stellar #nlolchicago volunteers that have made a huge difference in the lives of so many pups.
Cara and Peter first crossed our path in 2007 when they adopted a dog from us. When she passed away in 2015 they felt that a good way to honor her memory would be to foster and reached out to us again.
When asked what one of her favorite things about fostering was, Cara said: "One of the best things about fostering is watching the dogs gain confidence again and seeing how they are so different and similar. Being able to see who they are supposed to become. For example, seeing Blueberry come out of their shell was really rewarding-- from not wanting to go out on walks and being fearful to gaining confidence, finding themselves and becoming playful."
Volunteers are the lifeblood of New Leash on Life. We couldn't exist without them. Thank you for all that you do.
Fosters are absolutely the backbone of New Leash on Life Chicago! Because we don't have a brick and mortar shelter, we rely on our community of amazing volunteers to house the pups in our care.
One of our recent fosters, Jen, had this to say about her experience: "Fostering through New Leash on Life has been the highlight of my year, and although the world has been upside down, it’s been a pretty good year for me personally. Being a single lady in Chicago with no car, but lots of love to share, fostering has been the perfect fit for me. I’ve fostered two of the best pups out there! “Darcy” and “Daisy”. The were both so loving and great companions to have especially during these uncertain times. Everyone in my neighborhood loved them. It was so fun getting to know them, watch their curiosities, and see their growth. They were both so smart and sweet and picked up the hang of things in no time. I really couldn’t have done this without the support staff at NLOL. They bring everything needed, provide training advice, transport them to their vet appointments, and send me updates as much as possible. Seeing their little faces so happy in their new homes gives me such joy! It feels good to be able to help animals in need wherever I can. I appreciate the opportunity of being part of the them especially since I’m not able to commit to adopting a pet for myself right now. I’m astounded by all the care that goes into rescuing these pets and finding their “furever” homes."
Thanks, Jen! You're a rockstar. If you have room in your life and heart for a foster dog please reach out to us.
It’s important to highlight another one of our amazing volunteers. Ryan joined the #nlolfamily in June, stepping up to help out Patch who was in need of a safe space to decompress while waiting to find his fur-ever home.
Frequently the dogs that NLOL rescues have medical needs that need to be addressed and this was true of Patch. Even so, Ryan didn't hesitate to help our sweet friend. He even gave Patch physical therapy while he recovered from leg surgery! In addition to opening his home, when Ryan saw the extent of Patch's medical needs he organized a fundraiser to help towards the costs of Patch's care and helped raise over $2,000!
It's volunteers like Ryan that are the life blood of New Leash on Life Chicago. They teach pups how to trust again and give them safe spaces to learn how to be dogs at their own pace. Without them we wouldn't be able to save the lives that we do. Thanks for all you do!