Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail And Brandon Crusan.
Abigail and Brandon, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We had always thought about fostering dogs, but we never acted on it until we found RAGOM (Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest). We have big a soft spot for Golden Retrievers, and so do our two dogs. It felt like a great fit to start our fostering journey. We have been involved with RAGOM for about 10 months now. Our first foster dog, Eirwyn, was a Golden Retriever/Great Pyrenees. When we first saw a picture of him and read his bio, we knew we needed to help him find his forever home. As soon as we picked him up, we knew that it would be a long journey ahead for him. He was extremely fearful, anxious, shut down, and did not trust humans. With patience, learning (on both our ends), and lots of love- Eirwyn started to shine. When it was time for Eirwyn to go to his forever home, it took the right person who was willing to help him continue to blossom. We were worried that he would regress in a different place and his new family would have to start all over to help him build trust. A few days later, we received videos and photos of Eirwyn running in his backyard with his new doggy sister. He looked so happy, and like a completely different dog than when we first met him. It really showed us how much fosters can help and give a dog a new life that they deserve.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our experience with Eirwyn was full of challenges; from spending months helping him learn that he could trust humans, to potty training, to trying any idea to help him with his anxiety, and to showing him new experiences of all kinds. It was truly a learning experience for us. Eirwyn probably taught us more than we ever could have taught him. After months of trying get Eirwyn to acknowledge us, one day he went outside and sprung into a ball of energy. He was suddenly playing and acting like a dog should! We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. Shortly after that, he let me pet him. It was hard to stay calm so that I didn’t frighten him but on the inside I was jumping up and down. I never would have thought he would become my big lap dog that LOVED to snuggle.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We both have such a strong love for dogs. We would have a house full of dogs if we could! Since our two dogs are our whole world, we felt like we could help other dogs who have been less lucky. Every dog deserves to be the center of someone’s world, and we wanted to be a bridge to connect a dog with their forever home. That’s why we volunteer with RAGOM.
What are your plans for the future?
If I could give any advice to anyone thinking of volunteering, I would say to just do it. It is such a meaningful experience, and you meet such a great community of people who love animals just as much as you.
Ready to make a difference? Become a RAGOM foster or volunteer! Fostering provides a dog with a safe, loving home while they wait for their forever family, and RAGOM provides support and covers approved veterinary expenses along the way. Learn more and apply at ragom.org/volunteer. Open your heart. Open your home. Change a life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ragom.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetrieveAGoldenOfTheMidwest
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/retrieveagoldenofthemidwest/
