Aransas Pass Pet Owner Promotes Fostering to Reduce Shelter Population

Tina Spears, 37, served as a former Ingleside Animal Control Of_cer, but has always called Aransas Pass home. Now an employee with the City of Portland, she has started fostering pets as they transition to permanent homes out of state, encouraging other people to do the same. (Ingleside Index)

Spears’ foster, ‘Skippy’, seems to have adapted well to her Aransas Pass home, lazily lounging. Wendy McDonald, a local pet rescue advocate and friend of Tina’s posted ‘Skippy’s’ photo among other canines when she launched a new Facebook page called “Ingleside Animal Friends” ( https://www.facebook.com/profile . php?id=61555337706086), to encourage participation in fostering. (Courtesy: Wendy McDonald )

Treat time at the Spears home brings her three dogs together and ‘Skippy’ (second from left). Tina’s other pets include a shih tzu (far left) named ‘Nugget’, a Great Dane named ‘Blue’ (second from right), and a callaloo named ‘Skully’ (far right). (Courtesy: Tina Spears )

With Tina, relaxing in the family’s living room, the extra ‘guest’ doesn’t know he’s in transition. Much like fostering a child, dogs Spears will look after are considered temporary residents, the period in between the time they leave the shelter and arrive to live with an adoptive family can vary. (Courtesy: Tina Spears )

Fostering can cause some heartache. The first night ‘Skippy’ spent in the Spears home you can see there was no fear or anxiety in the animal, quickly finding an attachment with one of Tina’s daughters. Saying goodbye will prove difficult when the dog moves on to its adoptive family. (Courtesy: Tina Spears )

‘Blue’ and ‘Skippy’ play tug of war while one of Tina’s children plays a video game nearby. Judging how a dog associates with other existing pets in a household is another measure of success in fostering. (Courtesy: Tina Spears )

Skully’ (left) and ‘Skippy’ get some down time to rest after play. (Courtesy: Tina Spears )

Looking through the metal grates of cages that make up temporary homes for unwanted or abandoned pets, it’s hard not to get emotional when a visitor to the temporary Ingleside Animal Shelter finds an immediate connection or establishes an instant bond with a dog needing – wanting a furever home. Tina Spears, 37, knows from experience, having worked as a former Ingleside Animal Control Officer, now helping to foster some of those same pets until they’re adopted.

‘Skippy’ is Spears’ first foster dog, believed to be a two-year-old terrier mix. The light brown ca- ‘Skippy’ came from the Ingleside Animal Shelter and is Spears’ first foster, already having acclimated to her three other dogs, two that she rescued herself from the city’s dog pound years earlier. A two-yearold terrier mix, ‘Skippy’ will not be staying with Spears, who works with multiple pet rescue groups to prepare canines for eventual transfer to an owner outside of Texas. The City of Ingleside’s Police Department has oversight for the animal shelter and created this social media poster for National Peanut Butter Day in January. After all, the dog’s name is ‘Skippy’.

(Courtesy: City of Ingleside)

nine had been associated with people before it was brought to the city dog pound. The look he gives anyone who approaches him softens any heart and when Tina brought him back to her Aransas Pass home, ‘Skippy’ immediately acclimated himself to her husband Michael, 36, three children, and the family’s three other dogs, a shih tzu named ‘Nugget’, a Great Dane, ‘Blue’, and a callaloo, ‘Skully’. The dogs all played together, and when ‘Skippy’ found a comfortable spot on a couch to lounge, he did.

Two of Spears pets, ‘Blue’, and ‘Skully’, she adopted from the Ingleside Animal Shelter.

“I’m very vocal about animals,” said Spears, working as a custodian for the City of Portland.

Spears is so passionate about fostering, and helping pets find adoptive homes, she launched her own Facebook page called ‘For the Love of Ingleside Texas Animals’ ( https://www.facebook.com/profile . php?id=100094997000810). “Please like and share,” she asks anyone who makes the effort to stop and check it out.

“A few friends and I are building a group willing to foster animals in the care of the Ingleside Animal Shelter,” an introduction about the page begins. “The foster then becomes part of a rescue which helps with medical care and adoption,” the synopsis continues.

Two of the groups that help in the process include Sinton Animal Friends ( https://www.facebook.com/ search/top?q=sinton%20animal%20 friends), and Throw a Dog A Bone Dog Rescue ( https://www.facebook . com/throwadogabonerescue/?show_ switched_toast=0&show_invite_ to_ follow= 0& show_ switched_ tooltip=0&show_podcast_ settings=0&show_community_review_ changes=0&show_community_ rollback=0&show_follower_visibility_ disclosure=0), located in Austin.

Since Spears and friends originated the program, ‘Skippy’ is the third rescue dog soon to move on from her living room couch to an adoptive home.

“All dogs must have time in foster (care) per USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) guidelines before being transported to another state,” Spears’ page detailed further. |These times vary depending on health and other factors.”

But her message made clear, it’s not easy accomplishing these goals without help.

“We need…pet food, blankets, toys, and other items,” the Facebook page detailed. “Fosters and drivers are needed. Donations can be made at Cross Point Veterinary Clinic 5248 CR 3567, Taft, (361) 528-5269, to the Throw a Dog a Bone Dog Rescue account,” she noted.

“If you would like more information message, email, text: inglesideanimalfriends@ gmail.com, or call (361) 2579506.

Like ‘Skippy’, and her own dogs, Spears said most animals have individual personalities. It’s that trait that helps adoptive families or just single owners decide if they’re a good fit. Just like humans who go through a fostering process there can be residual trauma. Patience truly is a virtue in those circumstances.

“I’m worried about getting too attached,” Tina admitted, acknowledging that ‘Skippy’ just naturally fit in at her home and was easily accepted by her other pets, something that is not always the case in every household where there are pre-existing canines, or other animals such as cats.

And while she’s not looking forward to the emotional loss of seeing ‘Skippy’ move on, “It’s worth the heartbreak to get them out of their situation,” she agreed, too familiar with conditions at any public shelter, not just Ingleside’s. The City of Aransas Pass has a municipal animal shelter, too, and anyone who’s visited there would have similar feelings.

From experience, and because it was her profession at one time, Spears can relate to the apprehension some individuals express about adoption. When the Ingleside Animal Shelter held an adoption event Saturday, January 27th, Police Chief Tammy Burr told the newspaper only two people stopped by, and no dogs left the facility.

It can also seem intimidating that many of those same dogs are barking all at once, some that appear to grab the fence wire with their canines in a ferocious, even aggressive posture. But Spears explained once a dog of choice is separated from the group, away from that stressful environment, they are usually playful and starving for affection. She hoped the new, permanent animal shelter Ingleside is building on Fourth St., scheduled to open later this year, offers that sort of placid atmosphere.