Hi, I’m Evelyn Gugger from Toledo, Ohio. Our family became acquainted with SOAR four years ago when we were looking for our first rescue Airedale. After our last dog crossed the Bridge, we contacted SOAR and learned about a 14-month-old Airedale named Morgan. Once the formalities were concluded, my daughter, granddaughter, and I drove to Michigan to pick up our girl. And what a sweet girl she turned out to be!
SOAR soon asked if we’d be interested in volunteering with them. We promptly called a family meeting since it involved all of us. We have a busy household because our daughter and granddaughter live with us. My husband Tom works full time from home, I work full time at Walmart, our daughter is a teacher, and together Tom and happy “backseat driver” Morgan bring our granddaughter to school and back each day.
Together, we chose fostering and transport. With Tom there, our foster dogs are never alone, and after school and work, they thrive on the added attention and interaction. We take the dogs for walks and some for car rides, while sociable Morgan loves having four-legged companions to run and play with. As for transport, our trips are short, usually to pick up dogs in another part of Ohio or nearby Pennsylvania, and drop them off in Michigan to another “runner” or a new owner.
During our second year with SOAR we hosted our first Airedale Picnic, which has since become an annual event. We have a large, fenced-in yard with a covered patio, and while all humans are welcome, if their Airedales get along with other dogs, they’re welcome too. Everyone loves watching the dogs run and play together, and there’s plenty of food and doggie treats to go around.
Although we cry each time a foster dogs leaves, the reward is worth it -knowing they’re going on to wonderful new beginnings with waiting families. We stay in touch with all of their adopters, who so generously send us pictures and updates, and assure us, over and over, how very much these dogs are loved.
I wish more people would consider fostering this beautiful breed. Not only is it fulfilling, it’s a reminder that someone once fostered the Airedale they adopted.