Two local heroes in Sydney's south-west have reached out via Facebook to give one old dog her first experience as a pet . Dianne and Dan...
Dianne and Danny Stadelmaier fostered and then adopted Toesie, aged 12, from the Greyhound Rescue kennels near Camden.
"Last year we'd already adopted a Greyhound, our beautiful Rosie, so we knew what gentle and loving dogs they were. I saw a post on GR's Facebook page with a photo of Toesie and how for her whole twelve years she'd only lived in a kennel. My heart broke at how sad her life had been. I knew that we just had to help her, to give her a loving home for whatever time she may have left," said Dianne.
Toesie adjusted to life with the Stadelmaiers very quickly.
"It was amazing how fast she settled in considering she'd only ever lived in a kennel. She was hobbling when we first met her due to an old fracture and arthritis, but when she first got to experience our backyard with its long grass she acted like a newborn puppy experiencing everything for the first time, sniffing and running. It was pure joy and we cried watching her," said Dianne.
"Our dogs, Rosie and our seven-year old Kelpie Eddie, welcomed her straight away, though there was a settling in period of a few days. She adjusted to their routine so easily and there hasn't been one inside accident which is pretty amazing considering her age and her not being used to being indoors."
Danny Stadelmaier said the couple would foster again.
"Yes, we'd definitely foster again. It's been incredibly rewarding seeing how Greyhounds thrive with having a loving home. I would recommend it to others. Knowing that you make such a difference to them is the best feeling ever," he said.
Janet Flann, Greyhound Rescue (GR) founder, said GR pays the full cost of necessary vet bills incurred while a dog is in foster, while carers cover food, shelter and flea treatments.
“We’ll supply muzzle, coat, collar and lead. Foster carers pay for food. We can help with costs if necessary. How long a hound stays depends on how many adoption applications we get, but carers should be prepared to keep a dog for at least six months,” she said.
Janet said carers don’t need to worry about the type of dog they’ll get to foster: “We like to match foster carers with dogs, so we ensure compatibility with your household and other pets. People who are interested in adopting or fostering should complete an application form.”
• greyhoundrescue.com.au/foster/foster-process
• greyhoundrescue.com.au/adopt/adoption-process
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