COCO
Hello, my name is Coco and from my story you will understand why fostering is so important. During the month of October my family dropped me off at a small shelter after many years of not taking care of me. Due to my condition and failing health, the shelter did not know if they would be able to keep me very long, so they contacted Marianne Hill and Diane Gordon of the Quad State Region of ESRA to see if they could help. Fortunately Dave & Patty Vladic decided to start fostering again after taking a break after the last foster dog was successfully adopted. Patty picked me up and brought me home and right away. My new foster dad knew I was there because the entire house smelled like a sick dog, which is why they gave me my initial nickname of "Stinky"! I didn't mind because these people seemed to actually care about me. I was very underweight and had a skin infection over my entire body and I have to admit, I did smell from the infection. I didn't look too good either as you can see from my pictures below. My skin hurt so bad that I wouldn't let anyone touch me and I had trouble walking. After a visit to see Dr. Tom, they gave me some medicine and medicated shampoo to try and help my condition. I didn't like Dr. Tom's suggestion of a bath every other day since I had never had many baths in my life, but after a while I started to actually like the attention. I even got some of my own socks as you can see below - I didn't like them very much but my new foster parents said I had to keep them so I would quit licking my feet raw. I only had them for a few weeks and was I glad to get rid of them.
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I knew I was a good dog, but I still wasn't sure that anyone was ever going to figure this out. However, my new foster dad and mom would take turns sleeping with me at night to make sure I was OK through the night. During the day, however, I had to be kept separate from Tyler (Dave and Patty's male Springer) who is also a rescue and not the most sociable dog in the world. By the time I was getting ready to get rid of my socks - that other Springer Tyler seemed to actually show some interest in me and we started to be able to hang out as shown below.
In November I was starting to feel better so I let my new foster parents pet me and I lost my nickname "Stinky" since I started to smell more like a dog instead of one big infection. And then one morning I decided I had enough energy to play and to everyone's amazement Tyler decided he would play with me also. My foster mom almost started to cry because Tyler doesn't warm up to just any dog. We are best friends now and hang out and/or play all the time; we even play with the squirrels in the back yard. When we aren't playing with the squirrels I make sure I watch them through the window. I know I can't catch those squirrels but it is fun staring at them as they jump through the trees!
In December I was feeling good enough to get my beauty treatment while Tyler was getting his hair cut at the groomer. I am not quite as comfortable with those scissors as Tyler , he is comfortable enough to take a nap while being groomed - go figure - but I didn't trust those people at first. But I was told that by the end I was a perfect girl and if I do say so myself - I think I look much better now days.
For Christmas I even got to go on a road trip with my new foster family. Tyler and I hung out in the back seat for the entire ten hour ride. OK we slept together while my foster father drove, but when we got to PA I couldn't stop looking out the window.You have to remember I am from IL and I had never seen these things by foster dad called hills! It just seemed like we kept going up and down but I enjoyed the scenery. When we got to PA I got to meet so many people, other dogs and cats. Everyone was so nice I didn't know what to do but play and be a good dog. Even Tyler has to learn how to play fetch (not as good as me but he is trying) by watching me - my foster dad is just pulling his hair out trying to figure out what I know that he doesn't. I just tell him "it is a dog thing".
Then came Christmas, when my life took another turn for the best! My foster dad had been watching me with all these strange people and animals to see how I would react, he was also watching the change in Tyler since I showed up in the house and after everyone was telling him how good I was and that Tyler had changed for the better. My foster dad apparently decided I was an "Angel in Disguise" and contacted Marianne and Diane on Christmas Eve and decided to surprise my foster mom and me by adopting me. My Foster mom got a present that was a new name tag with my new name "Coco Vladic" We (Mom and me) both cried for a while and then I went and played with Tyler and the kids to celebrate.
Well my skin is doing much better, however I still have a slight limp (Dr. Tom thinks I have some arthritis since the x-rays of my hips show no problems) but with some medicine and care Dad says I have the energy of a pup and not that of an 8 year old! I am continuing to get better every day and my bald butt is almost back to normal with just one small patch that should be gone in another month,
This is my story to date but I know it is not the end but the beginning of a great life at my new "Forever Home" with Dave, Patty & Tyler
Remember - we can't always take care of ourselves - we dogs do need some love and care, but we will return the same feelings and be a friend forever!
THANK YOU ESRA!!!!!!!
COCO VLADIC