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Life Lessons of a Dog Foster

June 26, 2017 by Jillian Leave a Comment

life lessons of a dog foster

I’m pretty sure I’ve lost count of all the dogs I’ve fostered over the past 8-ish years. Not to say that I don’t remember each and every one of them, and have pictures of each and every one of them. But there’s been so many sweet dogs in my life, and fostering becomes a delicate balance of wanting to both remember and forget.

For me, fostering dogs means giving my entire heart to care for each animal as though I’m keeping them forever, and then having my heart ripped to shreds when they are adopted because it feels like I’m losing my child. But that’s what being a foster parent is. Any kind of foster parent. It’s taught me about letting go and not being afraid to have to go through the whole wonderful/painful process all over again for another dog in need.

With each dog there are snuggles to be had, potty accidents to be cleaned up, injuries to be tended, and countless kisses. Like, so many kisses 😘 Good times, great times, rough times – they’re all worth it. Below are just a few of my special foster babies and the life lessons they have taught me.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Animals, Bits & Pieces Tagged With: abandon expectations, adopt don't shop, animals, appreciate the little things, compassionate women, dog foster, dog shelter, dogs, don't give up, don't sweat the small stuff, embrace flaws, foster dog, foster parent, foster puppy, how to be selfless, how to foster a dog, life lessons, life lessons of a dog foster, looks don't matter, puppies, puppy snuggles, rescue dog, rescue puppy, shelter dog, vegan, vegan lifestyle, why to foster a dog

Friends for Life Animal Shelter in Houston

January 26, 2017 by Jillian Leave a Comment

friends for life animal shelter in houston

rescue dog

Look at these babiessss! Aren’t they gorgeous? I met them a few months ago at a Friends for Life adoption event in Houston. Friends for Life is one of only two LEED-certified no kill animal shelters in Texas. That means they are a certified green building 🌱 You definitely get a different feel when you walk through their doors, and I don’t just mean aesthetics. First of all, it’s quiet! Granted, the main part of the shelter open to the public only has about eight to ten dogs, but normally shelters are extremely loud and chaotic. Friends for Life, on the other hand, has a calm and peaceful vibe that is nice for visitors, but even nicer for the animals that live there.

I visited twice in one week, if that tells you anything! Check out the adorable cats and dogs that I met during my visits and all the wonderful facts I learned about this progressive no kill shelter 🐈🐕

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Animals, Bits & Pieces Tagged With: adopt don't shop, adoption center, adoption event, animal enrichment, animal shelter, animals, cats, compassionate women, dogs, environmentally friendly, friends for life, friends for life animal shelter in houston, green building, green certified, houston, kittens, leed certified, no kill animal shelter, no-kill, puppies, rescue animals, rescue cats, rescue dachshund, rescue dogs, rescue kittens, rescue pit bulls, rescue puppies, spay neuter, Texas, vegan

The Shelter Dogs of Beaumont, Texas

January 4, 2016 by Jillian Leave a Comment

the shelter dogs of beaumont, tx

You can tell just by looking at this dog that she’s had a rough life – you can see her ribs, the patchy spots of missing fur, she needs a bath, and if you look closely, you can see that she recently had puppies. Yet when I met this dog at the Beaumont Animal Shelter, she was calm and sweet and had such hopeful eyes. I’m not sure what happened to her. In an ideal world, she found a loving home that spoils her and loves her more than anything. But after spending the past couple of months in Beaumont, Texas and volunteering at the shelter, I’m obliged to think happy endings for these dogs are far and few between.

puppy

momma and babies

Coming here from Austin, Texas after working at the largest no-kill shelter in the U.S., it’s been pretty traumatic volunteering at a small shelter that still imposes what I consider outdated standards and protocol. I know they have good intentions and want to help the animals that come through their shelter, but they are also struggling in a region that isn’t as open minded and modern in their thinking of how pets and animals should be treated. I first visited Beaumont’s city shelter on my birthday back in May of this year. Here are a few of the dogs I saw —

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Filed Under: Animals, Bits & Pieces Tagged With: adopt, animal shelter, austin, beaumont, beaumont texas, cats, compassionate, compassionate women, dog rescue, dog shelter, dogs, foster parents, love-a-bull, momma dog, pit bulls, puppies, rescue dog, southeast texas, stray dogs, Texas, the shelter dogs of beaumont, vegan, volunteer, women

HEY THERE! I’M JILLIAN.

I live near Houston, Texas with my rescue dog Stella! I create cruelty-free recipes that are delicious, to demonstrate that it's easy to follow a plant-based lifestyle. Not only are the health and beauty benefits noticeable, but it creates a more sustainable planet and keeps our animal friends safe & happy. In our spare time, Stella and I also love watching movies, reading, snuggling, and taking long walks! LEARN MORE…

SHOW YOUR PITTIE PRIDE! This design was inspired by own rescue pittie, Stella, who defies pit bull stereotypes every day.

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