When Carter Cifelli arrived at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, he found Poppy looking tired and depleted. Although her tail was still wagging, she seemed to be in poor condition, with a cough and signs of malnutrition and neglect. Cifelli knew right away that this pregnant dog needed plenty of love and care to recover from her ordeal.
As per Cifelli, who became the foster owner of Poppy, the pregnant dog was extremely loving and trusting right from their first encounter. Despite facing a lack of positive human interaction in the past, Poppy displayed her gentle nature immediately. Cifelli observed that Poppy enjoyed having her tail wagged and being spoken to softly. Although she was drained due to her pregnancy and sickness, Poppy appeared to settle in easily and was appreciative of being in a hygienic and protected surrounding.
Within 48 hours of Poppy’s arrival at Cifelli’s place, her furry surprise brought seven puppies along with her. Cifelli was caught off guard by the sudden arrival but was relieved to see that Poppy was an experienced mother who handled the delivery smoothly. Additionally, all the puppies were healthy, which was a huge relief for Cifelli.
As the weeks passed, Cifelli noticed how Poppy was getting dirty from taking care of her pups and her previous life before being rescued. Remembering Poppy’s initial reaction to personal grooming, Cifelli thought that she would love a good bath. However, to make the experience even more memorable for Poppy, Cifelli devised a unique plan.
According to Cifelli, they took extra care of Poppy, the rescued dog, because she was a kind dog and a loving mother who did not receive proper care before being rescued. Therefore, Cifelli decided to give her a unique treat by arranging a spa day for her. Poppy had a wonderful time enjoying a milk bath with flower petals and getting gently cleaned to erase any memory of her past life. During her bath, Poppy loved receiving encouragement and scratches from her caretakers. Additionally, she was given a soft bathrobe and a paw massage with coconut oil to moisturize her dry paw pads. As a final touch, Poppy was served chicken broth in a champagne glass to make her feel fancy and special.
Cifelli observed that during Poppy’s spa day, she was filled with joy and couldn’t stop wagging her tail. The care and affection showered upon her were remarkable and didn’t end even after she was dried off. Poppy had nurtured her litter before being adopted by a loving family, and all her puppies found homes too. Cifelli keeps in touch with various families who adopted Poppy’s puppies, and they are all doing exceptionally well as cherished members of their respective families. Cifelli advocates for spoiling foster dogs since foster parents are usually the first to show them love and compassion. She relishes spoiling her foster pups, particularly the mother dogs who might not have received proper nutrition or shelter previously. It is gratifying for her to see them enjoy simple pleasures such as napping on a couch or having a full belly, which other dogs take for granted.
Prior to sending her foster dogs off to their new homes, the woman has certain practices that she follows in hopes of blessing them with good fortune. Firstly, she ensures their cleanliness by giving them a thorough bath. Once theyโre fresh and clean, she offers them a delicious treat of scrambled eggs to indulge in. Furthermore, she takes them on an adventure to a park where they can explore, take a stroll, and even enjoy a tasty pup cup. Witnessing the dogsโ excitement and elation during these activities makes all the hard work and heartache of fostering worth it. For the woman, these customs are a way to express gratitude for the dogsโ dedication in raising their puppies and a celebration that they wonโt have to do it again. She feels privileged to have been given the opportunity to lavish Poppy, one of the dogs, with special attention before she found her forever home where every day is now cause for celebration.
