Dogs, the plague, and my happiness

You know that feeling of panic you get when you decide to do something that is scary and overwhelming, but necessary to your well being? Well, I made one of those kind of decisions today...or at least decided to pull the trigger on it today. This decision has been years in the making. After Rosco died, I promised myself that I was going to start a foundation to help dogs in crisis. I laid a lot of the ground work and then just stopped. I had a brand new puppy and a brand new business and just got side tracked. However, it is very clear to me that my need to help dogs isn't something I can ignore. I have a purpose. A purpose I've been aware of since I was 7 years old. A purpose that God never let's me forget about. When life gets busy and I am doing nothing to help dogs, I'm not happy.

We stopped fostering 6 months ago. Trotter has made it pretty clear we aren't going to be fostering again. He thinks Beans would be afraid. This is the same Beans who comes home crusty because he spends his entire day at school with is head happily inside the mouth of a large dog. He's over it. Trotter clearly isn't. So, we aren't a fostering family anymore. But then what do I do with this hole in my soul?

This is the right time. I'm finally going to follow through on something that's been on my heart for many years. Today I will start the last phase of getting this non profit going- the St Roch Foundation. For the non Catholics in the room, St Roch is the patron saint of dogs. St Roch cared for plague victims. He eventually contracted the plague and went off into the woods to die. A local dog began to bring him food and lick his wounds, which eventually healed. This is why he is always pictured with a dog...and a gross knee wound. I did, however, chose a less leprosy-ish picture for this organization. Even though St Roch is also the patron saint of cholera and plague, I'm just going to focus on the dog part.

The focus of this organization will be to provide financial assistance to help dogs in crisis. Part 1: Shelters. We will provide grants to local shelters who need help paying for a rescue's necessary medical treatments, expenses to improve quality of life in permanently disabled dogs, and also for help with shelter improvements/expansion so that more dogs can be rescued. Part 2: Pet Owners/Good Samaritans. We will provide financial assistance to cover life saving medical treatments in dogs who have a good prognosis for a healthy life, but who's owner lacks the financial means to offer the needed care.

I will be spending the next 4-6 months selling my St Roch rosaries, bracelets, and necklaces, as well as St Roch and St Francis collars and tags. 100% of the money from these sales will go towards setting up the 501(c)3, incorporation, website, etc. In this time I will also be looking for volunteers who are as passionate about this as I am and would like to sit on the board. If that sounds like you, please let me know!

In the mean time, I would love you forever if you would like the facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/strochfoundation and even more if you'd like to join this cause.