Taryn’s Family
I scored when my new daddy decided to adopt me!
It’s me, Taryn, the 91 Freeway girl! My new daddy now calls me Tara. Anyway, I was found on the 91 Freeway by a very nice man that rescued me right before a car almost hit me. He pulled over on the freeway and took a picture of me to send to his wife. His wife sent my picture to German Shepherd Safe Haven and they wanted to meet me. A nice man and woman came to visit, temperament tested me and I passed with flying colors so they decided to take me in. I couldn’t officially become a Safe Haven rescue until after a month because that time gives my old owners the opportunity to come forward and take me back. In the meantime, I went to stay in my new foster home and got to play with all the dogs there. I was having a lot of fun! One thing I noticed which I thought was really special is that my foster dad and I had a connection to each other. I could always sense that he was upset, sad or happy before he expresses it. Pretty cool huh?
After a little while, I went to stay with Aunt Kelly because I was in heat. She took really good care of me during this time and then after my heat cycle was over, I was spayed. Aunt Kelly and her staff were so sweet to me while I was there. A week later, my foster dad came to pick me up and take me back home. Before I even saw him, I knew he was there and got really excited. Aunt Kelly saw what a connection I had with him and also thought it was a very special thing.
When I got back home, I was excited to see all the dogs again and play with them. Sophia, my foster dad’s other dog, and I just did not see eye to eye on things and she would give me attitude. I am no pushover and did not put up with that so we got into a couple of brawls. I think she was just jealous of me because of the connection that her daddy has with me and she knew that he was thinking of adopting me. When he had to put his 15 year old Shepherd, Bobby, to sleep, he was very upset. I knew how sad he was and I comforted him as best I could. He was saying that he would not adopt another dog once Bobby was gone but I was really hoping he would change his mind so I stayed close to him, helping him through this rough time. I think that’s when he realized that I was a very special dog and we were meant to be a family. When he brought me to the first annual Safe Haven picnic over the summer, he was telling everyone about me and that as long as Sophia and I got along, it was going to be a done deal. I had a lot of fun at the picnic, meeting all the dogs my foster dad and Aunt Jen had saved and meeting their forever families. I was hoping that next year’s picnic, I would be able to call my foster dad my forever family. To make that happen, I knew what I had to do.
So as the months went by, I learned to take the high road with Sophia and just ignore her when she would give me attitude. It was hard sometimes but I loved my foster dad and really wanted him to adopt me. Sophia and I started getting along pretty well, putting up with each other’s personalities so when the Christmas holiday came along, Aunt Jill filled out the adoption paperwork and my foster dad signed it. I was officially Tara Williamson.
A message from Tara’s daddy, Tom, founder of German Shepherd Safe Haven: I have had over 45 foster dogs and Tara and I were connected the minute I met her in the parking lot. I was not planning on adopting another dog after Bobby was put to sleep. I just wanted to foster dogs because that way, I would not have the pain of having to say goodbye to a best friend. But Tara is a very special girl and with the connection we have, I could not let her go. I am so glad I was able to adopt such a wonderful dog.