POPPY GOES HOME

27 MARCH 2010

On 14 March, Shannon writes:

Poppy is coming along . . . funny thing is is that she adores Joe!! Maggy, even after three years, still won't take a treat from him; Poppy comes a-running for hers after she does her business outside! Poppy eats well and is now barking at everything . . . sleeps with us at night now too.

She is still "jumpy", skittish at times, shy. She lets you hold her, kiss her, snuggle with her, but doesn't give it back yet; she seems to really like it, though. She stays a little stiff while you hold her, too. But in all good time, this too shall hopefully pass.

At 2010 CHICAGOLAND PET EXPO,
Joe Radosevich holds POPPY:
three-year-old Jenna Lewis is The Future of Rescue
[2010 CHICAGOLAND PET EXPO can be seen HERE]

On 27 March, Shannon writes:

Poppy, who is now called Bernice - Bee for short - went to her forever home today. Her lucky new owners are Jim, Debbie & Michael Graziano-Nelson. Her new sister is named Lulu; a five-year-old Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier.

Debbie & Jim were at the Pet Expo this past weekend in Arlington Heights, and had stopped at our booth. Joe & I had just arrived and had literally just taken our coats off and Debbie spies Poppy! Well, that was it . . . she held Poppy and we talked. They left and a little while they were back and Debbie held her again for quite a while and talked with Shell, who explained about having to fill our the application as soon as possible if she really was interested.

Poppy says thank you & good bye to her foster parents, Shannon & Joe Radosevich

Off they went and five minutes later she was back with a toy she had bought for Poppy so she could get used to their smell for when she came to live with them! It was love at first sight!

Bernice (f/k/a Poppy), with her new brother Michael

Sure enough, later in the afternoon, their application to adopt came in. Since we were only about 15 minutes from their house & Lulu, we made arrangements for Joe & me I to go over and let the girls meet on Sunday. While I was there I did the home visit which went great. I met their son Michael and a bunch of his friends who came over to check Poppy out . . . she was a hit! Lulu was so happy to have another friend and was really very good with her. She is a dog that listens well, too. And needless to say she was adorable, sweet and friendly!

Poppy is going to have the best life, and even then some, that I could have ever hoped for. She will be loved, probably spoiled, and so well taken care of! As a foster mom and Joe as a foster dad, this is all we ever want for our "kids" . . . a great, loving, safe home.

And I do believe in fate, destiny, or whatever you want to call it, as this was Debbie & Jim's first time to this Pet Expo! They were there to find Poppy . . . .

Bernice's new mom Debbie & Michael

Later that evening:

This is the email I got tonight about Bee. Debbie, Jim & their son Michael are just fantastic people. I KNOW Bee has hit the jackpot with them for sure!! This is the first time with fostering that I didn't start crying as soon as the new family pulled up . . . I honestly think the joy of our babies getting these terrific forever homes is beginning to outweigh the sadness of their leaving, or maybe I'm just growing up and realizing I can't keep them all.

This one was hard on Joe. We've had a few girls that just didn't take to Joe and he was devastated . . . and Poppy adored him, even more then she did me! He was"smitten with her and she was so good with him. He called her "my little girl" (he calls Maggy the same thing). They'd both come running, Poppy prancing, when he'd say,"Where are my little girls"? For once he was pretty quiet on the trip home!!

Debbie writes:

We made it home fine. She was good in the car She is doing very well; a little nervous about loud noise but she is not shaking.

She loves the yard and is out playing ball now with Chester, Lulu & Michael. She never gets the ball but runs with her two friends and looks like she wants to.

She is doing the stairs and has her new tags on her collar. No accidents, so far.

Has she slept in crate or in bed? Michael wants her to sleep with him, but I am afraid if she has not tried this before; don't want to scare her.