Wednesday evening I did a home visit for a family who hoped to adopt a basset. We had a nice visit and I told them that we had lots of seniors, so they might have to wait to get a basset in the 3-5 year age range.Famous last words.
Yesterday our adoption coordinator sent me an e-mail asking if I thought they’d be interested in a 6-year-old female, named Daisy. Her family was moving to Alaska on Tuesday& they had no one to take her. Dad was taking his son to the Portland airport that evening (mom was already in Alaska). The plan was for me to meet them & take Daisy. If Wednesday’s family was not interested in meeting her, I’d just take her straight to a foster home.
So, I sent an e-mail, with pictures and the prospective adoptive family said yes, they’d love to meet her.
Poor Daisy was very nervous at the airport. She is a small basset and kept her tail curled under most of the time there. She snuggled up to her dad as though she knew something was up. She sniffed me, but didn’t want to get too close. Once we’d done the relinquishment paperwork and I got her out side, she was very cooperative, though.
I drove her to meet the family, who were enamored almost immediately. She snuggled up to the mom and played with the kids, running through the big back yard. In a situation like this, I always tell people that they should feel no pressure. they can say no, they can say they’d like to think about it, or they can say yes we’ll keep her. I could see Daisy working her magic on each member of the family. Finally, when dad sat on the floor and Daisy crawled between his legs, snuggled her head against his tummy and put a paw on his thigh, they were all hooked. They said yes. We always give folks a couple of weeks before we sign any papers or ask for adoption fees, just to make sure everything is going to work well.
I had an e-mail from Daisy’s new Mom this morning saying that the kids & Daisy exhausted each other last night and they are still enamored. I’m picking her up this afternoon to take her to our vet for a microchip, nail trim and to check on a tummy rash.
Yesterday I was stressing because it was my last day to get ready before summer school begins Monday. This basset rescue emergency helped divert my attention. My stress disappeared. Daisy got a new home. Daisy’s old family could stop worrying. And her new family has a new member. It was a win-win-win-win.
booksandbassets 
Nice!
This story is whyI love reading your blog to start my day- so heartwarming! I’ll give my dogs extra hugs today… Good Luck with the start of summer school!