Foster Considerations

Whoa,

Wait a Minute ...I Think:

  • I'm Too Busy
  • I'm Too Old
  • I'm Too Young
  • I'm Not Mobile Enough
  • I Don't Have Enough Money

To Foster!

Let us show you why some of the most common reasons people hesitate to foster are really misconceptions! Fostering has numerous benefits for humans and pets!

a dog with one ear up
What Does

Fostering Mean and How Will It Impact Me?

What exactly does fostering mean? It means bringing a homeless dog into your home, caring for them, providing them with affection and socialization, until a permanent family comes along who will love them forever.
a foster dog smiling
The benefits of fostering are numerous, and not only a wonderful thing for the dog and shelter or rescue, but can be beneficial to the one doing the fostering in so many ways!
  1. FOSTERING SAVES LIVES:

     

    A shelter is not an ideal place for any dog - a home is much more comfortable. Being in the shelter is stressful on a dog and often times a pup's wellbeing and behavior dramatically improve when they are placed in a home. Fosters also allow us to take in more dogs who may be at risk of euthanasia while we continue to look for the perfect forever home for all of our rescues. Fosters are also crucial to our ability to help expectant female dogs, by affording them a quiet and comfortable atmosphere to deliver puppies and care for them in those first weeks of crucial development.

  2. YOU HAVE A HAND IN HELPING MAKE THE dog MORE "ADOPTABLE":

    Often times, we know very little about the dogs before they arrive to our care. All of our interactions are crucial to helping us get to know the dog, but sometimes the kennel environment is not indicative of how a dog will really behave when placed with a loving family. While fostering a dog, you are able to provide exercise and stimulation, which in turn creates a calmer dog in the kennel which in many cases may be closer to what their behavior will look like in a home environment. In addition, you can work with the dog on leash training, house training, or other basic command training, that potential adopters will find attractive when looking for the perfect dog for their family.

  3. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE A dog'S FUTURE:

    Shelters and rescues often look to fosters for those dogs who may have endured a difficult past such as abuse, cruelty, neglect, under socialization, etc. As a foster, you have the chance and opportunity to gain a dogs trust, show them human touch and love perhaps for the first time, provide an environment for them to feel safe, and watch them transform before your eyes.

  4. FOSTERING CAN BE GREAT FOR YOUR FAMILY:

    If you have existing pets, introducing a dog can be a great experience for them as an additional companion, additional socialization, and an additional playmate! Children can benefit from fostering as a way to introduce responsibility, selflessness, a way to educate about animals, and is also a great way to "test" the idea of a permanent dog into the home in the future.

  5. YOU BECOME PART OF A WONDERFUL "COMMUNITY":

    Fellow fosters and Where the Love Is volunteers will help guide you through the experience, give ideas, answer any questions, and may even become your friends! There is nothing quite like sharing experiences with those who do the same and being part of a community of people who have like passions.

  6. YOU WILL MAKE SOMEONE'S FAMILY COMPLETE:

    When the day comes, that your foster finds that perfect home, the rewarding feeling you will experience is something very special. You will feel a sense of pride, in knowing what you helped that dog accomplish in his or her time with you. You will feel overjoyed, that he or she has found their forever family and the happy ending that all homeless dogs so desire. And while certainly, some goodbyes can be tough, knowing that a dog has found a happy ending and that another precious life awaits to be afforded your gifts, is as good of a feeling as there is!

So, Change a Life, Save a Life, & Become a Foster Today!

DEAR FOSTER PAWRENT:

There I sat, alone and afraid,
You got a call and came right to my aid.
You bundled me up with blankets and love,
And, when I needed it most, you gave me a hug.

I learned that the world was not all that scary and cold,
That sometimes there is someone to have and to hold.
You taught me what love is, you helped me to mend,
You loved me and healed me and became my first friend.

And just when I thought you'd done all you do,
There came along not one new lesson, but two.

First you said, "Sweetheart, you're ready to go,
I've done all I can, and you've learned all I know."
Then you bundled me up with a blanket and kiss,
Along came a new family, they even have kids!

They took me to their home, forever to stay,
At first I thought you sent me away.
Then that second lesson became perfectly clear,
No matter how far, you will always be near.

And so, Foster Pawrent, you know I've moved on,
I have a new home, with toys and a lawn.
But I'll never forget what I learned that first day,
You never really give your fosters away.

You gave me these thoughts to remember you by,
We may never meet again, and now I know why.
You'll remember I lived with you for a time,
I may not be yours, but you'll always be mine.

Ready to Foster?

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