When HuMom Met Eddy

Tomorrow marks the day huMom met Eddy.

Hi, Dot & Jerry Underfoot here. We’re here to tell you the story of our furbro Eddy & share why fostering, adopting, & sponsoring cats & dogs is a wagnificent way to open your heart while saving the life of another.

We remember back in the summer of 2023 when huMom talked to Olivia & us about fostering a dog in need. We all agreed it was the right thing to do. We not only had the space, we had plenty of love to give.

HuMom reached out to our local animal rescue, Home Again. On July 28, 2023, Christine met huMom at the local pound & introduced her to a dog with no name. He had been found pawing down a rural road in a nearby town. Not much was known about him, except that he was a senior & huMom had specifically asked to help a senior dog.

Eddy (the name we gave him) was taken to a local vet clinic where he was examined, vaccinated, & neutered. We were told to pick him up the next day.

We quickly learned Eddy wasn’t house-trained, was anxious at night, & was afraid of thunder. Teaching him where & when to go took many months, a lot of patience, loads of laundry, & plenty of carpet cleaning. HuMom worked with him by taking Olivia & Eddy outside often & praising him when he did his business. Olivia helped by showing him that the yard was their place to do business.

Over time, Eddy learned the routine. Even when it changed, he waited to go outside. He also learned that standing by the door meant huMom would open it for him. Unlike Olivia, he never pushed it open himself but huMom didn’t mind. He always looked so pleased, & she made sure to tell him what a good boy he was.

Those first few nights, Eddy was pawsitively a nervous wreck. He howled a lot, especially if he couldn’t see huMom or when it was dark. So we left a light on for him, & huMom comforted him with lots of love.

HuMom also began giving him Omega Alpha EnduraStress with his meals, morning & night. It helped ease his anxiety & made a noticeable difference. Soon, Eddy was sleeping peacefully through the night. He woke up happy, tail wagging, & began to feel more secure. He even started going outside on his own to sniff & explore.

As Eddy settled in, he learned his new name & routine. Olivia & Eddy quickly bonded, & so did we. He was a sweet, gentle boy. He let us curl up beside him for naps, & he even let Dot play with his tail (which is saying a lot, because Dot considers herself Top Dog & expects everyone to follow her rules).

Eddy always treated Olivia with love & respect. They would nap together in front of the wood stove or under a tree in the yard. They went on daily walks & many road trips, which they both enjoyed.

Eddy left this world just a few weeks after our beloved fursister Olivia. We were already grieving deeply, & Eddy helped comfort us but then he was gone too. Life felt very painfully different without them. We still miss Olivia & Eddy every day.

HuMom helped us focus on gratitude, the gift of loving & being loved by them. Olivia was there to comfort Dot when she & her littermates were found. She welcomed Jerry Underfoot when he joined the furmily, & by opening our home to foster, we were given the gift of Eddy.

We will cherish those precious memories forever.

Please consider becoming a foster. Be realistic about what you can pawvide in terms of time, exercise, & socialization. If a younger, high-energy furlegger isn’t the right fit, many senior cats & dogs are waiting for a calm, loving home.

We’ve been talking to huMom about fostering again. Dot & I are gently pawing at the idea. We nose she nose that there are many more furleggers out there who need love, compassion, & a safe place to land.