I foster dogs. Over the years I have fostered a slew of different dogs, mostly Dachshunds and Pekingese but also several mixed breeds, some Chihuahuas, a few Rottweilers and even a Boxer, a Doberman and a Belgian Sheepdog along the way. I find my rescue work to be among the most rewarding in my life. I have stepped back several times and taken breaks, but I always find my way back to it.
People sometimes ask me, "How do you do it? I could never do that". The truth is, they could do it! Rescue work can be difficult, but believe it or not, it's not the fostering that is difficult, it is the having to say "no" that is so hard. The reason most groups have to say "no" is because there are simply not enough foster homes. I know that for every dog that I foster a second chance at life is offered to a homeless dog. This is a huge deal to me and more important than almost anything else I can offer to someone. Saving a life, that's a biggie.
People often feel that they wouldn't be able to handle giving the dog up. The truth is that several of my dogs are "foster failures" which means that they came here to be fostered and I ended up adopting them myself. Part of the beauty of fostering dogs is that you generally have the option of adopting your foster dog yourself! Of course, it is great if you can continue fostering, but if you can't, you have still saved a dog. For me, I have mostly ended up adopting dogs that for whatever reason were not highly adoptable. Of course, the plan is that your foster dog is coming to you so that you can care for him or her while an appropriate home is found. When the perfect home is found, the dog will move on with his or her life and go into their new, permanent, loving, forever home. This isn't sad, it's wonderful! Are there ever tears? Yes, sometimes there are, but they are generally tears of joy because you get the satisfaction of knowing that you helped that dog and that family to find one another. You have made it possible for this dog to live. Until you have done it, you have no idea how rewarding this feeling is.
There is a big misconception that all rescue dogs have either health or behavioral problems, but this just isn't the case. Many of the dogs are misplaced because their owners lost their home, or their elderly caretakers passed away. The majority of dogs that I have fostered have been well adjusted, social dogs that had no issues. Most of them came into my home and lived side by side with my own group of dogs easily and without issue. Sometimes we do get rescue dogs that require some veterinary care and those dogs need foster homes too, it's just a matter of finding the right dog for your situation.
I work with multiple rescue groups and generally the rescue group pays for all the dogs veterinary care and anything else you would need to care for the dog. Typically you work with a Foster Coordinator or some other person within the group who will match you with the appropriate dog for your family and lifestyle. In my experience, there is a lot of support offered to the fosters so you don't have to feel on your own. With some groups you may be asked and in some cases required to bring your foster dog to events or "showcases" where foster dogs go to meet the public and potential adopters.
Contrary to popular belief, you can foster just a certain breed of dog. There are many purebred rescue dog groups that rescue specific breeds of dogs, so if you already have a breed you love, you may want to work with a breed rescue group. Or, do you feel like you would like to foster but you need a less active or dog that is set in his or her ways? There are rescue groups that rescue only senior dogs. If you like puppies, there are rescue groups that only work with puppies. There are also rescue groups that work with only small dogs or only giant dogs. Whatever type of dog you want to help, there is a rescue group out there for you.
Hospice care is also an option. Offering hospice care to a terminally ill animal can be emotionally challenging, but I have done it and still consider it one of the most rewarding fostering experiences I have had. To be able to offer a home to a sweet, friendly, outgoing terminally ill senior dog and allowing her to live out the end of her life treated like a princess instead of dying in a shelter was extremely rewarding to me. And, my short time with her in no way minimized the experience for me. She needed us and we were there and we would do it again in a heartbeat. However, admittedly, hospice care is certainly not for everyone.
So, are you cut out for this work? Check below to see if you you meet some of the criteria below:
You you love dogs
You own a home or rent where you can have dogs
You have no dogs of your own or you have one or multiple of your own dog friendly dogs
You have the time to care for a dog
You are thinking about adopting a dog, but not sure if you are ready for a long term commitment
You want to save a life
Fostering a dog is a commitment, but it is easier than you may think. Please consider fostering a dog. Most of my foster dogs stay with me for an average of two weeks. The seniors can be slightly longer, but generally under a month.
Finally, if you want to help, but really feel like fostering is not for you, please know that most rescue groups have many other volunteer positions available. I took on the position of a Foster Coordinator for a rescue group so that I could still be involved but not with fostering. There is always a need for people to transport dogs, come to events, walk rescue dogs, work on fundraisers, work on the website, work on mailings, take pictures of dogs and so much more. There is a job out there! Please consider helping out.
