It was all unexpected for Ken Foster; author of “The Dogs Who Found Me” (The Lyons Press, $12.95, 2006). He adopted his first dog; an American Pit Bull Terrier-Great Dane mix through a shelter in New York City and had no idea this simple act of kindness would put him on the pathway to becoming the unassuming voice for the often misunderstood pit bull and other difficult-to-place dogs in the shelter system.

There is a common theme running through Foster’s life. He doesn’t give up. Foster starts out his memoir just after the disaster of 9/11. Planning on moving prior to the tragedy, he changed his plans and stayed on in a city where others fled, not wanting to show that he had given up hope.

His choice of dogs, the ones left by others and thought of as difficult and even dangerous breeds show he has the ability to go where other humans refuse to tread.

Brando his first dog was only the start of Foster’s foray into the world of dog rescue. Along the way, Zephyr the Rottweiler found him and fell in love with Brando. Not long after Zephyr came Sula; a wonderful American Pit Bull Terrier who was deathly ill with heartworm and Foster spent months helping her recuperate.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Foster has moved around for his profession as a writer to teach at various colleges and moved to New Orleans not long before Hurricane Katrina hit the city last year. Evacuating out of the city to where he thought he’d be safe, Foster survived a difficult and harrowing experience with all three of his dogs.

Despite being displaced from his home in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward for over five weeks, Foster has decided to return and rebuild his life and help with the rebuilding of the city in his own way through volunteering and speaking out.

“I wasn’t really a dog person,” he told a gathering at historic Head House Square during the Dogs Days of Summer event for the Alliance for Philadelphia’s Animals.

His book tells of 17 dogs he’s rescued, but that’s only a fraction of the dogs who have found him. Although he has an affinity for the pit bull, he has rescued all breeds of canines and has no hesitation in telling you that he’ll keep rescuing, just because it’s the right thing for him to do.

Foster makes a remark in his book that some people don’t see dogs.

Credit: Joanne Graziano

What he means by this is that they often come along as part of the landscape. People avoid the issue because to see the dogs means something has to be done and that means involvement and attachment. His best analogy is city people who don’t see the homeless people they walk by every day.

“I don’t say that everyone should rescue dogs. What I mean is that you have to do what you can do, and some people can’t do this. It takes a lot of time and effort. You have to know your limits,” he says.

Although advocating rescue, Foster is clear to point out that for some people with good intentions just taking in one more dog is too much.
 
“I mean, I know I have three dogs and can’t bring another permanent dog into that mix. It wouldn’t be fair to these three whom I’ve taken on the responsibility to care for,” Foster says.

Plans for another book are in the works and this time Foster wants to explore the history of the American Pit Bull Terrier.

“There’s never been a book like this before. I know I’d have to cover it from both perspectives of the good and the bad. Perhaps with a warning for the bad portion, but I believe it should be told,” Foster says.

Asked if he proclaims himself to be a dog writer, Foster says no.

“I’m a writer. I was just at an event at the New York Book Critics Circle and we talked about this. Are we writers who write about dogs or dog lovers who like to write? How does one evolve into a dog writer? Things like that,” Foster replies.

Foster seems destined to be a force to reckon with in the world of dog rescue and it would suffice to say that he’ll be writing about dogs for a long time.

Rose Strong is a freelance writer in Pennsylvania.

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