Testimonials

Suzanne Butryman and “Ingrid”

“Being a foster is not what I do anymore, it’s who I am.”  Those heartfelt words come from Suzanne Butryman, who is currently fostering “Ingrid,” her seventh Fidelco pup. “It’s something I believe in more than I can tell you,” she says. “It astounds me every time I see one of my dogs in the Walk for Fidelco. I think to myself, ‘I fostered this pup, I brought it back to Fidelco for training and now it is getting someone on an escalator or through traffic. It’s simply amazing.’”

Prior to getting her first puppy in 2003, Suzanne took a methodical approach to learning more about Fidelco and its foster program. “I took the foster puppy class for four months,” she remembers. “I talked to the trainers, I talked to the fosters and I saw the puppies, all of whom I fell in love with. And I thought, ‘Do I really want to take on a 75-pound dog when I only weigh 90?’ The answer was a resounding ‘Yes!’”

For Suzanne, one of the great rewards of being a foster comes from living and working with puppies like six-month-old Ingrid. “I am so in love with this dog. She is gentle, she is kind and she is smart. The minute I put that red foster jacket on her, she knows exactly what’s happening; that it’s time to go to work. They just know.”

But a more important reward is the freedom and independence that the pups eventually bring to people who have visual disabilities. “The person who has “Lilly,” my first dog, says that he thanks me every day for what I did for her and for him. You can’t get any better than that. That’s why being a foster is something I hope I can do until I can’t do it anymore.”

 

 

Kassandra and Leiann Bialy and “Kaelee”

Kassandra Bialy and her sister Leiann sit at their kitchen table while Kaelee, their six-month old foster pup, lies quietly nearby. “I always wanted a dog, especially after we had to put our first dog down,” said Kassandra. “I worked in West Hartford and often saw the Fidelco trainers with their guide dogs. I finally talked to one of them who told me, ‘You can be a foster for a Fidelco puppy.’ So, I visited the Fidelco website (www.fidelco.org) got the information there that I needed, applied for a pup and now we have Kaelee.”

The Bialy sisters report that although Kaelee “gets into everything,” things are going very well with their new family member. And having a foster puppy has become a family project. “My mom goes to the puppy classes at Fidelco and my dad, although he said he didn’t want a dog, takes her for walks all the time. My brother does too,” Kassandra says. “And she loves to go camping with us. She’s attached to us at the hip.”

The Bialys credit Fidelco’s foster puppy classes for giving them the tools they need to socialize Kaelee and to enjoy her as part of the family. From learning dog handling skills and what to do in different situations, to getting answers to the many questions that inevitably crop up, Fidelco’s foster program makes raising their pup easier and more enjoyable. There are other benefits to being a foster family. “It’s great being able to raise a dog that’s going to help someone in the future. And I love being able to share Kaelee’s first experiences with her.” 

Kassandra knows it’s going to be hard to give Kaelee back to Fidelco for training but she’s hopeful of getting another foster pup when her dog is around a year old. “That will probably lighten the blow a little; but Kaelee’s our first pup and we’re always going to love her.”

 

 

Sharon and Pete Fischer and “Quimby”

Sharon and Pete Fischer were looking for a way to volunteer their time when Sharon heard about Fidelco and its foster puppy program. After doing their homework, that included attending a foster class at Fidelco and talking with other foster families and observing the dogs, they decided that being a foster family was right for them.

For the first three months though, they weren’t sure they had made the right decision. “There were a lot of trials and triumphs at first,” Sharon laughs. “These dogs are so smart and that’s good and bad. But they grow quickly and when you see all your work coming together, it’s so exciting.”

Pete is quick to agree. “We’ve learned a lot about dogs and their behavior,” he said. “And everyone I meet is interested in the dog. I now carry about a dozen Fidelco bookmarks with me and when people ask questions about Quimby, I give them a bookmark and tell them to visit Fidelco’s Web site that’s listed on the bottom.”

Both Sharon and Pete believe the personal reward they get from helping to prepare a foster pup for guide dog work makes having a Fidelco pup worthwhile. And they never feel alone in their endeavor. “The classes are great and the people at Fidelco are there for you whenever you need them. They always call or e-mail you right back and have answers for all of your questions. I think they must live at Fidelco.”

One additional benefit of having a Fidelco foster pup is that Sharon and Pete get outside more often. “We’re walking twice a day, especially in the summertime. We would have never been outside otherwise,” said Sharon. “It’s great for us and great for Quimby as well.”

Sharon says that their goal was to make a difference in someone’s life and that they have done the best to ensure that Quimby makes a good guide dog. They are also looking forward to seeing how their pup reacts to being with a Fidelco trainer. “Having a Fidelco foster puppy has been a great experience,” says Pete. “It’s been all positive.”

 

Paul Volpe and “Echo”

As only a three-month-old puppy can, Echo bounds around Paul Volpe’s backyard greeting visitors, chasing leaves and getting tangled in his own leash. Once inside Paul’s house, Echo decides its time for a nap and walks into his crate to lie down.

“Sometimes it’s hard to keep him entertained,” says Paul. “But every couple of weeks, I notice that he’s getting smarter, I’m getting smarter and we’re developing a rhythm.” Being a Fidelco foster is but the latest interaction that Paul has had with Fidelco. “I was a trust officer at a bank and I had a 70 year-old client with a Fidelco dog,” he said. “I was so impressed that they could match a guide dog with someone who was not that strong. So, after my father died, we looked around for a charity to support and that’s when I got to know Fidelco.”

Paul also became interested in dogs and was encouraged to volunteer as a foster. His initial hesitation had to do with having to give up a pup after 18 months or so. But as Paul says, “Sue (Brown) and Laura (Boogaert) are special people. They make you feel like you’re part of the Fidelco family and the more I observed the fosters being trained, the more excited I was.”

Paul has other reasons for getting involved in Fidelco’s foster program, “As I get older, I value independence more. I can only imagine how a person who is blind feels about having a dog that gives them independence. It must feel terrific.” He also believes that having a dog in your life expands your horizons. “I meet people; I do pet therapy (with “Sunny,” his Golden Retriever) and if you’re interested in dogs and let them teach you, they just make your life fuller. It’s truly a wonderful thing.”

 

Greg and Joanie Mirabelli and “Yuma”

Most foster families dread the thought of having to give up their dogs at the end of the fostering period.
And Joanie Mirabelli is no different but she keeps it in perspective. “I love fostering for a lot of reasons,
but mainly because you are profoundly helping others,” she said. “And as much as we love the dogs, giving them up is much easier when you talk to the graduates. They are very appreciative of the people who foster Fidelco’s puppies.”

While the thought of helping others is what drives Joanie and Greg, her husband, simply having the dogs around the house provides the couple with a great deal of pleasure. “I always wanted a big dog,” says Greg. “And seeing the differences in the dogs’ personalities is amazing.” “Olga,” the Mirabelli’s first foster pup, loved to be outside and to run in their yard. Yuma, their current dog, is what Greg calls a “floor potato.” “I like to sit on the floor with him in the evening and watch TV and he’s okay with that. And there are days when we actually have to wake him up.”
  
Joanie says that their Fidelco pups are members of the family and as they mature, you can see Fidelco’s breeding start to take over. “You get to watch them evolve into a working dog,” she says. “They become better behaved and motivated to work. It’s very impressive.”

The Mirabellis are enjoying the fostering experience; and for others who are considering becoming fosters, they emphasize the support provided by Fidelco. “They are available to answer questions or address concerns,” Joanie says. “Also, the classes are wonderful as are the other foster families. You won’t be the first family to have questions and either Fidelco or the foster families have all the answers. It’s totally worth it in the end.”