Foster Pet of the Day

~ YesBiscuit
Photo submitted by Dottie Berzins
Photo submitted by Dottie Berzins

Submitted by reader Dottie who writes:

Gemma was found emaciated, dragging a heavy tow chain with wounds on her body, in Roseville, east of Detroit. She was taken off the streets by a woman who couldn’t keep her and she was on her way to Michigan Humane. Saw her on Facebook and another woman offered a temporary foster until finder could get her into rescue if someone could transport. That’s where I got involved. Since then, I have paid to have her vetted, brought up-to-date on vaccinations and had her spayed. She was heartworm negative and is now on preventative.

Gemma has been with her “temporary foster” for almost three months now and the finder has pretty much dropped out of the picture. She has gained weight, is learning some basic commands and some “house manners”. We figured she was chained outside for her entire 3 – 4 years.

She’s been around dogs and cats, no problems with either. She LOVES people! She has an exuberance for life and would probably need to be with older children since she could knock over tiny ones without meaning to hurt them.

Gemma is with a foster in southwestern lower Michigan but I am willing to transport (I live about 2 hours away). I would likely be the contact since I’ve taken on a lot of the responsibility for finding her rescue/foster/adopter. I’m in touch with her foster and have visited her once. The biggest issue now is that her foster pulls seniors and “unadoptables” and Gemma is neither, so they can’t help any other dogs. They love her, but she is more than ready for her forever home.

If you are able to foster Gemma or are interested in adopting her, please leave a comment for Dottie on this post. And please share her post in your social media circles so Gemma can find her special person. Thank you.

20 thoughts on “Foster Pet of the Day”

  1. I am unable to access this post via the link in the email. “Page not found” Is it just me?

    Reply

    1. I’m not an email subscriber (!) so I can’t say. I’m sorry if there is some kind of problem accessing the post. I really want Gemma to have a chance to be seen and shared.

      Reply

      1. This is the message, “The page you were looking for could not be found. If you followed a link on this site to get here, please contact the administrator so it can be corrected.”

      2. I am a complete computer dummy. What link in what email is not working? I have been emailing with Shirley and she took care of creating and posting on here. I don’t even see a link in the thread. Sorry to be so dense, but I want Gemma to be shared, too.

      1. The email that notifies subscribers to this blog that there is a new post

  3. I was thinking about this last night and I think I know what the problem was. For whatever reason, this post originally posted showing Monday’s date. I corrected it, right after posting, to Tuesday’s date. That must have mucked up the link in the email notification for subscribers who receive those.

    Reply

  4. Not even a comment about what a beautiful dog she is . . . this is what has happened for 3 months. What will it take for this girl to find her forever home?

    Reply

    1. Do you know any rescue groups that could do a courtesy listing for Gemma? That may make it easier for her forever family to find her. She is a beautiful girl and her family is out there. They just haven’t met yet.

      Reply

      1. She actually has been posted several times by different Detroit area rescues. She is now backed by one in the Battle Creek area, but no fosters available through them. Thanks for posting . . . it gets very frustrating and demoralizing to have so little response.

    1. I agree, but since she isn’t with me I have no control over this. This photo was a huge improvement over others they’ve sent me. Maybe I need to go visit her and take some more.

      Reply

      1. I think that that would be worth it, db.

        I help market my shelter’s animals and there is NOTHING like a good photo to get an adopter interested. It helps if the photo shows something of the personality – just SOMETHING for people to connect with and want to learn more about the dog’s story.

        In this photo, you can’t even see the girl’s eyes or face properly, so no one is going to connect with her. She’s “just a dog” in this shot.

        A goofy face with a toy in her mouth, being petted by a kid (or an elderly person), sitting next to a cat – SOMETHING that illustrates what a nice girl she is that will help people think, “Hey, that looks like a dog I’d want in my home!”

        These guys -http://www.mercysdoorpetrescue.org/adoptables.html do a nice job with photos, just to give you some ideas.

      2. Thanks for your honest assessment and suggestions. I guess I will have to take a road trip and see if I can get some better shots of Gemma.

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