Over the last year it was really easy to fall into a rut of feeling like I was living the same day on repeat with nothing to look forward to due to all the restrictions the pandemic brought. I felt useless. Then I came across BarkinQ and their initiative to help abandoned dogs in Doha get off the streets and into forever homes abroad. My family and I have always cared for animals, so we instantly fell in love with the idea of being able to play a part in saving the lives of dogs that would otherwise have lived dreadful lives on the streets. We began fostering in July of 2020 and 12 months later, it fills me with joy to say that we have been a part of 13 dogs journeys. From the minute each one of them stepped through our front door to the minute they were being boarded on planes bound for the States, we gave them all a piece of our hearts. Every puppy that comes into our home reminds us how easy it is to love another being unconditionally.
I often get asked how it is even possible to say goodbye to someone you have either nursed back to health, raised, hand fed, or trained, but I know that what we are doing has a greater purpose and these last 12 months have not only taught me how to love, have patience and care for another being but it helped me find my purpose in life. Never would I have thought that it would take an entire global pandemic for me to decide what I want to be when I am older.
Fostering went from something to keep me busy during the pandemic to sparking my interest about ways in which I could work towards veterinary medicine as a career. I recently completed a course on Animal behavior and training and received my certification with a Distinction. I applied for an internship at a veterinary center here in Qatar and have spent the summer living my dream. Caring for animals makes me feel whole. A year ago today I had no clue what it was that I wanted to do with my life but 13 fosters and an internship later I can’t picture myself doing anything else.
Jodi Lynn – Reposted from youthof2020stories on Instagram, a humansof2020 initiative.
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