What is Pet Foster Care?

Foster caregivers provide a short-term safe and loving environment for a pet that needs a home. Often when a pet is placed with the humane society, it is not possible for it to be adopted right away. Foster care is used until a permanent home can be found. The foster family’s job of course is to provide a loving and safe home for a pet while he or she is waiting to be placed in that new home. Ultimately, you will be saying goodbye to this pet one day in the not too distant future.

How Does it Work?

There are many things to consider before agreeing fostering a pet. A dog or a cat? Ok a dog. Do I have time? Do I have space? Do I have the patience? Do I have children or other pets to consider? Anyone that provides foster care for dogs is special person indeed. Above all, they must have a genuine love of pets and in this case a dog.

Dogs and foster caregivers are matched by the rescue centre so that they are a good fit for both the dog and the caregiver. If you decide to foster, visit the dog at the rescue centre first before you take him home. A few visits will tell you if you and the dog are compatible. You may want bring the dog into your home in short visits before you decide to continue.

The dog may be a stray and may not come with a history. It may have health problems which need to be addressed. He may have been mistreated or have inappropriate behaviours. The dog may be fearful. He may have decided not to trust strangers at all. Building trust with a dog that has been mistreated can take time. The dog may have been crated, uncrated, slept in a bed, on the floor or left outside all the time. The rescue centre will be there to support you and assist with food and medicinal concerns. Kindness, love and patience go a long way. A loving environment can right a multitude of wrongs. It may also be possible to foster more than one dog. Remember, you are fostering a pet in need. But what a wonderful thing to do!

When Goodbye Comes…

The rescue centre will want your opinion of what kind of home would be best for the dog. You know this dog better than anyone does. Fostering a dog can be extremely rewarding for you, the dog and the rescue centre. You give a needy dog a temporary, caring home. The rescue centre has the benefit of having a dog cared for so that they can take in other needy dogs. When your job is done, this dog will be placed in the home of a loving family. It can be a bittersweet goodbye to your fostered dog, but when you see him leave with tail wagging toward a new life in a happy family, it makes it all worthwhile. Then you are ready to do it all over again!

Please consider helping out a needy animal. If you would like to provide a quality, loving foster home, then please get in touch with one of our centres listed on this site click here for a full list.

Written By Beth Stewart, a dog loving freelance writer

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