Fortino (CACC)-Adopted

We were not intaking any dogs at the time and I received a late night message from a woman asking if I could pull Frijoles from CACC. He had Heartworm disease and had become urgent. She said if I pulled him she would foster him as she had already been approved to adopt from us.

I pulled him, she couldn’t foster him. Her roommate has cats. Fortino will eat your cat, then he’ll eat your other cat. Fortino headed off to boarding and the start of his Heartworm treatment.

Fortino was a staff favorite at Animal Care Center of Shorewood, just as he was a volunteer favorite at CACC.

And this is where rescue gets tough, you have a dog who is ill, but will be fine once they finish a long drawn out treatment, who doesn’t like cats, in need of putting more meat on his bones and as it turns out he is not a big fan of dogs. The dog EVERYONE LOVES, doesn’t love other dogs, this drops his pool of adopters way down.

Now, I am not suggesting Fortino will go after another dog, he just doesn’t want their shenanigans in his business and lets them know clearly and concisely. He would go on walks with other dogs, be at events with other dogs, live with other dogs, just not let other dogs get in his face.

Add to it the stigma that he is a rich black furred blockhead of a dog who moves like a panther through the jungle. He walks and holds himself as if he is royalty. Enter a vet’s office and the other patrons all move over with their dogs as if we just walked in with a dinosaur.

So he waited and waited and waited. We waited with him. Fortino had a special bond with tribe member, Jessica Quintanar who walked him each day during summer break. Drove him to meet and greets, accompanied him to homes for potential adopters. Championed him time and time again.

Tonight after all the waiting, the different foster homes, Jessica joined Fortino in putting paw to the paper saying I do to his new forever family.

Fortino has a family complete with his number one fan, his Grand Dad. A yard to guard against those pesky birds trying to land on the feeder, a home where he romps up and down the stairs a hundred times a day. He has multiple beds around the home for comfort and convenience; with a set of bowls labeled “food” and “water”. His Dad asked if Fortino could read as he seems to always know which bowl is for what.

As always I released some tears on the drive home, but I have a date with him come summer for fetch in the yard to look forward to which warms the heart. Even more so, sleep will come easier tonight knowing one more of our Chicago Animal Care and Control “back pavilion” dogs is HOME.

To all of those at CACC who cared for and loved on him, THANK YOU! Your dedication and never give up spirit keeps these dogs sane and filled with hope for better days ahead.