Fostering animals in need is really important, as it not only alleviates overcrowded shelters, but also provides a crucial bridge between rescue and adoption.
Sometimes, it is the only beacon of hope and a lifeline for many animals facing an uncertain future.
It is the most selfless act that not only transforms the lives of the animals in question, but it also enriches the lives of those who open their hearts and homes.
Is it difficult to say goodbye to the dog that you have lived with and cared for for days, months, or even years? Absolutely YES!
But I once saw a quote about fostering that perfectly describes its importance. It went something like this, “Our heart breaks a little, so theirs doesn’t have to!”
When Danielle Ault agreed to foster a little puppy named Fabian, she could not have imagined how much she and her family would fall in love with him.
So, when she got the news that he was adopted, she was understandably sad, but once she discovered the identity of the person adopting him, she was completely moved to tears.
A Very Special Moment
Fabian and his brothers were found wandering around the wilderness of Covelo, in Mendocino County, California, all on their own.
They were rescued by the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County and provided with wonderful foster homes.
Little Fabian found a foster home with Danielle and the Ault family, where he stayed for about six weeks.
During that time, the whole Ault family got incredibly attached to sweet Fabian and were heartbroken when he finally got adopted, especially Danielle.
However, she had no idea that someone she knew very well had adopted Fabian.
The entire time she fostered Fabian, Danielle was hoping that her mother would adopt him. But, she did not want to be pushy, as her mom had recently lost her dog and was not in the state to have another one.
Still, each weekend, she would bring Fabian to the Humane Society’s open hours and dream of her own mom showing up and adopting him.
So, when the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County called Danielle to inform her that someone had adopted Fabian, her dreams were crushed.
“We called Danielle into the office today, asking her to come help us review an application for Fabian that was a little different. We told her we needed her to help us make sure it was a good match,” the Humane Society said in their Facebook post.
Heartbroken by having to part ways with the special fur boy that she grew to love so much, Danielle reluctantly drove to the Humane Society headquarters.
When Your Dreams Come True
She arrived there looking all sad and heartbroken, but then, to her complete surprise, she learned that the secret adopter was, in fact, her OWN MOM.
Fabian was staying in the family!
“An adoption application came in this morning for Fabian and we jumped for joy! Our staff immediately called and soon found out this was a special case. It was Danielle’s mom Vicki calling all the way from Idaho letting us know she was ready to make Fabian’s adoption dreams come true.”
When Danielle saw the name on the adoption application, she burst into tears immediately. The special moment was captured by the Humane Society and their amazing foster team.
It’s safe to say that Fabian – now renamed Stan – couldn’t have found a better furever family.
Danielle’s mom, Vicky, is a very outdoorsy person who lives on a big ranch, so she’s perfect for Fabian who also loves to be outdoors.
“We are incredibly fortunate to watch him grow while being connected to him forever. He’s a ranch dog now, has his own special spot in the pickup, goes camping, shopping, and on all kinds of road trips. He is a good boy with a great heart, and he deserves the life he has,” Danielle told Newsweek.
With all the good this foster family has done for the animal rescue world, there could have been no better ending to this story.