Dying Friday Harbor woman considers potential new home for 'Aussie Posse' after Facebook post goes viral



FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash – This week the ‘Aussie Posse’ found viral fame. They may (and we emphasize may) also have found a new home.

The three Australian Shepherds named Autumn, Mona and Finnegan are loved and kept by Kathleen Zuidema.

The Friday Harbor woman is facing her own mortality at the hands of cancer. Doctors have said even if her latest round of chemotherapy does extend her life it will only be by a few weeks.

So on Saturday Zuidema took to Facebook to do ‘the hardest thing I have ever had to do’ and begin looking for a new home for her posse.

Within days the post and plea to keep them together and on the island had been shared more than 8-thousand times.

Wednesday Zuidema’s request was featured on Q13 News This Morning and by Thursday morning it was trending nationally on Facebook.



Offers poured in and Zuidema and her friend Amber Chenoweth began pouring through them.

Then Zuidema shared the news.

“I am meeting with someone Friday who is very interested in the Aussie Posse,” she wrote on Q13 News Social Media Editor Travis Mayfield’s Facebook page.

“I am truly overwhelmed but all the love and support,” wrote Zuidema. “I'll keep you posted.”

Zuidema was keeping details of the potential new home private until she could in fact determine whether it would be the right fit for her pups.

Some media had erroneously reported Thursday that a home had been found.

"Those reports are not accurate," said Chenoweth in an email to Q13 News.  "She has a list of questions for them to determine important details."

Chenoweth says that regardless of the outcome of the meeting Zuidema wants to take time to make her decision in a thoughtful way.

"This is a difficult decision and she needs time to really think about their answers and what would really be best for her Aussie Posse," wrote Chenoweth.

As for the dogs themselves, Zuidema told Q13 News earlier in the week that they are her everything and that's why getting this right before she dies is so important.

“They are bonded to me and I hope they will add hope and joy to someone else’s life because they’ve just been my life, my world, my joy,” said Zuidema.  “I just want them to have a good home.”