Meet ‘the puppy lady’

Lorie Comer always believed fostering a dog would be a fun and rewarding experience. Yet she’d never pursued the idea beyond saying to herself “Someday I will” or "What would happen if I did?” That is, until she stumbled upon a social media post from Best Friends one rainy morning in October 2023.

The team in Northwest Arkansas was in urgent need for someone to foster a mother dog and her lone pup who had just arrived from a shelter. A blend of excitement and nervousness filled Lorie’s heart as she clicked through the pictures of a brown-and-white dog named Maple and her baby, Sugar.

“I've always been passionate about dogs but had never fostered before because I didn't think I could handle it emotionally,” says Lorie. She also has two dogs already.

After reading the request for help many times over, Lorie decided it was time to bring her dream of fostering a pet from the back of her mind to the front of her heart. “I had the space and convinced myself that I could do it one time,” she says.

[First-time foster volunteers team up for a mama dog and her 14 puppies]

Fast-forward just a few months, and Lorie has since fostered seven different families of mother dogs and their pups, including Maple and Sugar. She has cared for 33 foster dogs in total and has no plans of stopping anytime soon. She even has a room in her home she calls “the puppy suite.”

Linda DeBerry, a Best Friends senior specialist in Northwest Arkansas, says, “We affectionately call Lorie the puppy lady. We are so grateful for her. Let’s face it, puppies are cute, but they are also a lot of work. And Lorie just keeps taking on litter after litter with a smile. She is just amazing.”

Below is an interview with Lorie about her journey to becoming a foster volunteer extraordinaire for cautious mama dogs and their babies.

Who doesn't love puppies? I love watching the babies transition from being totally dependent on the mama to becoming little individuals, each with their own cute personality, and teaching them how to be social. I try to spend time with them in their playpen every evening, just playing with them and loving them.

The mamas (who recently arrived from shelters) are commonly malnourished, scared, and lacking trust. I literally have a one-on-one conversation with each mama the day I pick her up to reassure her that if she will just give me a chance, regardless of her past, there's nothing in her future but love.

I also spend one-on-one time with the mamas away from the babies, usually outside on the patio in the evenings, allowing them to follow me around the house as I do chores or just sitting with them.

The funniest thing that ever happened was with a dog named Olympia. I found out she was an expert escape artist.

Once I separated her from the babies for weaning, I literally had to zip-tie every side of her crate to keep her in there when needed. She could also go from a sitting position to over a baby gate in the blink of an eye. This was surprising because she was a chunky girl when we got her healthy. I also found her standing on the back of my sofa one time.

I have two adopted 5-year-old boxer/mastiffs named Maggie and Stella and a rescued cat I call KitKat. She just showed up approximately five years ago.

My Maggie is very passive and accepting of all. My Stella thinks she is all that and a bag of chips. So I typically don't even give her the opportunity to get close. The cat is now earning her room and board because I can use her to "cat test" the mama dogs.

Regarding special friendships, Olympia, the escape artist, had completed her magic act one day, and when I turned around, she was nose to nose with Stella. I was worried at first, but they became the best of buddies.

Just try it one time and be committed to that one foster pet. I held off fostering before because I didn't think I could handle the goodbyes. Now, I can't imagine not doing it.

I set my mind to understand that I am a very small bridge on a long road to get these babies from a shelter to a home. It takes a village, and I'm just one section in the road. I do prefer to keep the mamas until they are adopted rather than having them moved from one foster to another.

At times, I have had a mama with babies and another mama dog without babies, along with my own dogs. We make it work though, usually in shifts.

I have shed some tears when saying goodbye to some of the mamas, but that's OK. I know I did my job, and they are going to their happily-ever-after.

I enjoy spending time with my daughter, grandkids, and friends; gardening; camping; lake time; and cooking. These foster babies and mamas are a great portion of my joy though.

I love, love, love the babies and helping them to become little individuals, but the most satisfaction probably comes from working with the mamas. I enjoy getting them healthy and teaching them that the world isn't such a bad place.

I look at my work with these mama dogs as kind of like a rehab program for them. I meet them where they are and work with them on their terms. Tender words and gentle touches can break through many barriers and ease many of their fears, allowing them to learn to trust again.

[Foster family welcomes six puppies to the world]

I enjoy staying in touch with the adopters of the mamas and babies. If I find out who adopted one of the puppies or dogs, I will reach out to them and send them all the pictures that I have of their new baby. The greatest honor I've received has been when the adopters reach out to me and thank me for teaching their new baby how to love, whether that be a mama or a puppy. I feel so honored.

Best Friends has been a fantastic organization to work with. Many times, I pick these little families up straight after their arrival from a shelter after they are vetted. As a foster mom, I get to know them. Anytime I have a concern, Best Friends staff always listens to me and supports me 100%. In addition to helping these mamas and babies, I have gained a whole new family of precious friends with common interests and a common goal. That is priceless.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.