Meet Nikole Brown and Kelly Carlblom (left to right)! These two brought their big hearts to GPG because they wanted a dog. They opened up to the idea of fostering when they knew that many dogs needed a place to stay while waiting for their furever homes. Since being involved with GPG, they have had one foster—a puppy named Tinsel. Tinsel, in Nikole’s words, was an eye opener for Kelly. Kelly had never owned a dog before and she was not prepared for how often puppies use the bathroom IN the house! Luckily, Tinsel was able to be potty trained and all was well!
Their most memorable story with Tinsel was the time she found her furever home. When their friend Allison came to visit, Tinsel dropped everything she was doing and ran immediately to her. She would NOT leave her side all night! It was then that Tinsel picked her new mommy and it couldn’t have been more perfect! After their first puppy experience, Nikole and Kelly think they’re going to stick to older dogs for now.
Nikole and Kelly are not originally from the St. Louis area. Nikole is originally from Alabama and Kelly is from Taiwan. Nikole cooks delicious meals from scratch and enjoys old movies from the 1940s; Kelly is a rugby player for the St. Louis Sabers. Together, they take care of their two-year-old son. He is finding his love for dogs, too!
The one piece of advice they would give to a new foster is to not feel ashamed when you are frustrated from time to time. Your frustration does not make you less of a dog (or cat) lover. You are just a normal person who is adjusting to a new member of the family. Thank you, Nikole and Kelly for your dedication to and patience with the dogs of GPG!
If you are interested in fostering, please visit our Fostering Page for more information.
