Sonja Arsenault, a resident of British Columbia, had not planned on taking in a foster dog, especially not one that resembled their recently departed pet, Griffin. Despite feeling that their grief was too fresh and irreplaceable, a friend reached out with a photo of a poodle/Maltese mix named Sammy in need of a temporary home for training and socialization.
Feeling a cosmic nudge from Griffin, Arsenault and her husband agreed to foster Sammy, intending it to be a short-term arrangement until he found a permanent family. However, they quickly grew attached to Sammy’s endearing qualities and were faced with the decision to adopt him. Realizing their desire for flexibility in their future plans, they knew Sammy needed a home where he could have constant companionship and attention.
As they delved deeper into the fostering experience, Arsenault and her husband found that it perfectly aligned with their current lifestyle, providing the joy and liveliness of having a dog without the long-term commitment. Fostering allowed them to pour their energy into helping dogs in need and witnessing them find loving forever homes, multiplying the impact of their late pet, Griffin.
After successfully house-training Sammy and creating an engaging adoption profile that garnered unprecedented interest, they found him a perfect match with a family who lived near familiar faces from Griffin’s past. This unexpected connection reassured Arsenault that Sammy was meant to be where he was, guiding them to embrace love, loss, and the cycle of opening up to new beginnings.
By letting go of Sammy when the time came for him to move to his permanent home, Arsenault and her husband understood that some goodbyes pave the way for meaningful introductions. They cherished the love they shared with Sammy and prepared themselves to continue their fostering journey, grateful for the lessons learned from Griffin’s subtle guidance towards evolving forms of love and the importance of letting go with compassion.
