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General Discussion => Post-FIRE => Topic started by: Sun Hat on June 15, 2019, 06:58:14 AM

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Post by: Sun Hat on June 15, 2019, 06:58:14 AM
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Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: SKL-HOU on June 15, 2019, 06:23:23 PM
This and fostering dogs will be my FIRE hobby! :)
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Evgenia on June 15, 2019, 06:52:04 PM
Thanks for posting this. Our senior rescue dog died last week, after we had just three months with him. We are gutted, of course, but like you, I really miss the routine. Husband is not ready for a new dog yet so this is a GREAT idea. Thank you so much!
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: AccidentialMustache on June 15, 2019, 06:53:44 PM
We used to foster cats for our local shelter. Not as much exercise... until one escapes and you have to try to track it down in the rest of the house!

Current house isn't well setup to foster cats since there's allergies in the house, but maybe when we retire and likely move we can find one that will be.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: FIREstache on June 16, 2019, 09:35:29 AM

Most may be non-aggressive, but I wouldn't want even one of those powerful jawed dogs to take a single bite out of me.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Cookie78 on June 16, 2019, 10:21:47 AM
Wonderful! I’m glad you like to work with the more difficult dogs. It takes all types. :)

I fostered dogs for awhile, but the ones I had were always super easy to train. The hardest thing I had to deal with was intense fear of people and I ended up adopting her after 2 months. When I’m not working a full time job I’ll consider fostering more difficult dogs too.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: LibrarianFuzz on June 18, 2019, 09:36:39 PM
Related, awesome hobby:

Raise a Guide Dog for the Blind: https://www.guidedogs.com/support-gdb/volunteer/puppy-raising

Raise a Canine Companions for Independence puppy: https://www.cci.org/get-involved/ways-to-volunteer/become-a-volunteer-puppy.html

Be a Canine Companions for Independence Breeder Caretaker: https://www.cci.org/get-involved/ways-to-volunteer/become-a-volunteer-breeder.html
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Step37 on June 18, 2019, 09:50:26 PM
What a great thing to do! So far I just donate money to shelters/rescues and spoil my own two dogs (but I am not quite retired yet - soon!). I don’t know if this is something I could do, but I’d be willing to try. I get very sad when I see “unwanted” dogs up for adoption. I’m afraid I’d be beyond the legal limit of dogs rather quickly.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: happy on June 19, 2019, 12:03:59 AM
What a great idea! I already have 3 dogs, so I'm not likely to go for more doggercise, I'm just posting because it just shows how much fun you can have for free. And if you love dogs, but don't want the cost or the responsibility this is a perfect way to have some dog time!
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Firehazard on June 19, 2019, 12:33:47 AM
Thank you for posting this.  I've wanted to volunteer at a shelter for years but my job left me too exhausted to commit to anything.  I FIRE'd a couple months ago and have been decompressing, but would love to do 'doggie dates'.  I have two of my own and they so love to go on adventures, which we do every morning, weather permitting.  Would really enjoy doing that for shelter dogs as well.  I'll be checking out our local shelters to see if any of them have such a program.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: soccerluvof4 on July 10, 2019, 06:56:12 AM
We have a lady in our Neighborhood we call the dog walker. She takes in dogs from all over the country and takes care of them till they get placed. She walks them at least 3 times a day and always seems like a different herd and she struggles along. I have talked to her a couple times about adopting a dog and i have to say she seems to be one of the happiest people I have ever met. Doing good in the world and working with animals for the right person can obviously bring alot of joy.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Step37 on July 12, 2019, 08:07:02 AM
@Sun Hat, how incredibly generous of you. Obviously you are getting as much out of it as the dogs, but still! Lucky dogs! :)
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: SKL-HOU on July 12, 2019, 11:33:52 AM
I wanna be exactly like you when i FIRE!
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: brooklynmoney on July 13, 2019, 09:03:30 AM
I used to volunteer to walk dogs every Saturday it was so fun! Definitely looking to foster or volunteer with animals once fired.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Larsg on July 19, 2019, 08:49:12 PM
Wonderful Idea if you have the will do it...meaning that for my family we have tried many times and the net result is that we win up with about 3 of the most hard luck, poor health adoptions of all time with a cycle of about every 5 years. We try and we try...but nope...one of us behind the others back somehow folds and the others come home to a surprise...1...then 2...then 3...we nurse them into old age with the best possible send off and then here we go again...1, 2, ...you see the pattern.

Those eyes, the wagging tails...we have no strength.

But, I admire all who take on this habbit. I guess we are a bit of of an old folks home + the hard Knox that won't deal w/anyone that keep getting turned back in. We take em on...commit to "we will love you" even if it takes like 5 years for them to trust us enough to return any warmth.

All rewarding either way and no it has not impacted our wealth. We just stay away from organizations like the VCA who are the money machines of veterinary care. Find an old, experienced country vet...good nutrition, lots of love and that's everything.
Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Trifle on July 20, 2019, 10:55:10 AM
Thanks for this thread @Sun Hat.  You're awesome.

Title: Re: My new super-awesome FIRE hobby!
Post by: Rosy on August 02, 2019, 07:57:53 PM
OK then - did you know that in my county in Florida there are more dogwalkers than dogs for the local shelters? A lot of people like dogs but can't have them where they are - snowbirds incl some of those expensive million-dollar-plus condos.

Good thing I like cats too - guess I'll just have to find the right rescue group. It is on my list, since we will not be traveling in the next two months. Unless, like it has always happened in the past I end up with a cat that chose me by showing up at my door somehow.
We have a wildling, ex-feral cat kitty that showed up in the backyard one day on death's door - so glad he found us. He couldn't have been more than six month's old but it took him four months to come into the house and then two weeks for each room in the house.
Now he is known as Wolfie, the resident house and garden kitty who leaves presents of fat, thankfully dead rats - yuck:).