Why Do Dogs need to be fostered ?
🐶 A dog may have a highly contagious illness like
kennel cough and need to be isolated from the shelter population. Most shelters have a number of isolation
kennels, but when they’re full the dog must be isolated in some other way such
as placed with a rescue organization, or placed in a foster home.
🐶 Some dogs just need a bit of training to make them more appealing to a potential adopter. They may need to learn not to jump all over everyone, or they may never have walked on a leash and need to learn how to walk nicely with a leash with their human beside them. Some have never been socialized at all and are fearful of people. They just need some TLC and exposure to people so they'll see that people aren't scary.
🐶 Some dogs just need a bit of training to make them more appealing to a potential adopter. They may need to learn not to jump all over everyone, or they may never have walked on a leash and need to learn how to walk nicely with a leash with their human beside them. Some have never been socialized at all and are fearful of people. They just need some TLC and exposure to people so they'll see that people aren't scary.
🐶 Shelter life is stressful; it’s loud,
scary, and confining. A dog may “shut
down” or become what is sometimes called “kennel crazy”. This is usually a dog that has been at the shelter
for a longer period of time, continually passed over by potential
adopters. When a dog shuts down, they
no longer interact well with people and sometimes won't eat. Kennel crazy dogs
constantly bark, jump around like mad trying to get out, and may even become hostile. Dogs like this have been in the
shelter too long and desperately need a break!
Could You Be A Pet Foster Parent?
🐶 Wondering whether or not you could be a foster parent to a shelter or rescue pet? The first thing many people say is "I work so I don't think I could foster a pet". But you don’t need to be a stay at home foster parent in order to be an effective foster. Even people who work full time or are in school full time can foster.
🐶 Even if you have children or other pets in the home you can still foster. In fact it can be helpful to have kids and other pets in the home. That can help with training and socialization of a foster pet.
🐶 If you think it will be expensive to foster a dog or cat, don't worry! Most shelters provide the food and basic supplies you will need to care for your foster pet. If the dog is ill they’ll provide the necessary medication as well.
Rudy Was One Of My First Fosters, and My First Love
One of my first fosters was Rudy, a
chestnut colored Chihuahua mix. The
shelter named him Rudy (as in Rudolph the red nosed reindeer) because he came
in around Christmas time. He was thin
and frail, his ribs clearly visible. He
quickly developed a terrible case of kennel cough, probably due to a low immune
system.
Rudy was barely able to sleep, his non-stop coughing wracked his small body keeping him awake day and night. The shelter didn’t have an available isolation kennel for him or a rescue organization that could take him right away. He needed a foster home, STAT!
Rudy was barely able to sleep, his non-stop coughing wracked his small body keeping him awake day and night. The shelter didn’t have an available isolation kennel for him or a rescue organization that could take him right away. He needed a foster home, STAT!
I
was nervous about bringing him home to foster. I worried that my own dog,
Icy, might catch his kennel cough, but I took him anyway and kept him
separated from Icy the first week.
I moved him into our quiet, comfy guest room, placing him in a spacious crate with a soft fleece blanket. He hadn’t been eating at the shelter, probably because it hurt his throat to eat the dry food they gave him due to the kennel cough. As soon as I gave him wet food, he wolfed it right down! He quickly began to gain weight and after about 7 days the cough subsided. He also had fleas and some ticks, which I treated immediately. This alleviated his constant scratching, making him more comfortable.
Throughout his ordeal, although he was suffering through kennel cough and discomfort he remained sweet and lovable. As he recovered, his vibrant personality emerged. He was extremely loving, playful and smart. He got along great with Icy and the two played well together. I fell madly in love with Rudy and we developed a strong bond.
I sometimes sleep in a pair of big puffy socks, which I leave by the bed like slippers. One day one of the socks disappeared. A couple of weeks later I was gathering up Rudy's fleece blanket to wash, and stuffed deep inside the blanket was my sock! Rudy must have snatched it and hid it in his bed, probably so he could have my scent close to him as he slept in his crate at night.
I moved him into our quiet, comfy guest room, placing him in a spacious crate with a soft fleece blanket. He hadn’t been eating at the shelter, probably because it hurt his throat to eat the dry food they gave him due to the kennel cough. As soon as I gave him wet food, he wolfed it right down! He quickly began to gain weight and after about 7 days the cough subsided. He also had fleas and some ticks, which I treated immediately. This alleviated his constant scratching, making him more comfortable.
Throughout his ordeal, although he was suffering through kennel cough and discomfort he remained sweet and lovable. As he recovered, his vibrant personality emerged. He was extremely loving, playful and smart. He got along great with Icy and the two played well together. I fell madly in love with Rudy and we developed a strong bond.
I sometimes sleep in a pair of big puffy socks, which I leave by the bed like slippers. One day one of the socks disappeared. A couple of weeks later I was gathering up Rudy's fleece blanket to wash, and stuffed deep inside the blanket was my sock! Rudy must have snatched it and hid it in his bed, probably so he could have my scent close to him as he slept in his crate at night.
I’ll be honest, I kept Rudy far longer than I needed to, I just couldn’t let him go! Eventually however, I had to.
Fortunately, the father of one of our wonderful Eagle Scout volunteers wanted very much to adopt him. I couldn’t ask for a better Dad or a better family for Rudy. I know he went to a great home with a family who loves him as much as I do.
The day Rudy was adopted, his new Dad pulled away from the curb with Rudy standing up in the front seat, his nose pressed against the window. He was looking back at me with those beautiful brown eyes, not understanding why he was leaving me. I cried all the way home, all night long, and for weeks afterwards, but I knew it was the right thing to do for Rudy. Rudy was my most special foster dog. I will love him forever, my darling boy will always be in my heart. Darn. Now I need a tissue, the tears are starting again.
If you think you'd like to foster a dog, contact your local animal shelter and ask about becoming a volunteer dog or cat foster parent!
If you enjoyed this post, you'll probably like these too:
How you can Help Homeless Pets Over the Holidays
Could you Foster A Dog For One Day?
Could you Foster A Dog To Save His Life?
Have you ever fostered a dog or other pet? Tell us about it in the comments! We'd love to hear from you.
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