One of my main reasons for moving to Idaho was to be able to have horses on my own property instead of boarding them. Once I was here and living on acreage, it was kind of like Parkinson's Law: more animals accumulated to fill the space. 

 

I began volunteering for local rescues around 1998, trapping feral cats, holding adoption events, transporting pets, holding a position on the board, and fostering animals. At the peak, I was fostering about 37 dogs each year. Now I foster in smaller numbers, take photos and put together videos of dogs up for adoption, and have built and continue to run a couple of rescue websites.

 

I've fostered everything from dachshunds to German Shepherds, including many litters of puppies, but mostly I foster herding breeds. My personal herd is now much smaller than it used to be, consisting of 2 horses, 3 sheep, 1 dog and 3 cats. But, that number is constantly shifting!