Meet Fionn & Oakley
I recently interviewed my friend Fionn on her journey to adopting a canine companion. Fionn is a twenty-two-year-old recent graduate student from Illinois State University. Upon graduating, she landed a content marketing job that allowed her to work from home. For the first time in four years, Fionn was in a position to consider adopting a canine companion. Short-term fostering was not an option offered as a full-time student living away from home. For several months, Fionn searched for the perfect companion and recently found her dog, Oakley. Fionn spent months researching puppy litters and finally located the perfect companion, a mini Australian shepherd about four hours away. Unfortunately, she could not pick her puppy up immediately. Fionn’s puppy needed a series of vaccinations and a physical. But when she first saw him, it was love at first sight!
Today, “Oakley” is four months old and weighs ten pounds. When Oakley is fully grown, he will weigh between eighteen and twenty pounds. He is full of puppy energy and loves to run every morning with Fionn. Fionn and Oakley have become regulars at the local dog park where they quickly have met a whole new group of friends. According to Fionn, had she not adopted Oakley, she would never have met some of the new people she has. Dogs are instant conversation starters. People are just more inclined to talk to you when you are with a dog, says Fionn. Today Fionn and Oakley have become inseparable, something which wouldn’t have been possible during her college years when having a dog was not an option.
Through college, Fionn missed her childhood dog and longed to have a furry friend but between her demanding class schedule, having multiple roommates, and living in a small apartment, this was near impossible. “In college, I was so busy trying to juggle classes, working part-time, and attending social clubs and sporting events. I would not have been an attentive, engaged dog owner full-time while in college.” While Fionn was eager to get a dog while in school, she knew she wouldn’t have been able to give it the time and energy it needed from her. This is a challenge most college students deal with, particularly during their stressful junior and senior years. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fionn longed for a dog to keep her company. Fionn always knew she wanted a dog but knew the amount of time and work it would require which she didn’t have in school.
Looking back, today Fionn admits, that if short-term fostering was an option encouraged on her campus, she would have considered trying it in her downtime, before making the committed adoption decision of Oakley. In a perfect world, she says, “If my university had encouraged short-term fostering in the campus apartments, I might have tried it.” She goes on to say that if there would have been an option to spend a few hours a couple of days a week with a rescue, she would have participated. Another advantage of short-term fostering she likes is knowing the dog is current on its vaccinations. Canine Connections works with area shelters and veterinarians. They make sure short-term fostering dogs are healthy and ready for human companionship. Are you looking for a perfect companion like Oakley? Let us help you find a shelter here.
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