Post written by Trish Manche
While it is always wonderful when a dog or cat finds their forever home, there is always joy and sadness when the situation is a foster fail. While it’s a wonderful thing to find a special pet to add to your household, all too often it takes away the spot that individual or family had to take on another foster. When we lose foster homes, that can limit the number of pets our rescue can take and place in loving homes. This is something not often considered.
Do we become attached to our fosters? Absolutely! I’ve heard over and over, “I’d become too attached” or “How can you just give them up to a new family?” What’s the alternative? I’d rather have them for a short time and save them from a shelter where they might lose their life. I have turned two of my fosters over to families. While it was not easy, seeing the joy they brought the new family and knowing they will be loved and cared for is tremendously rewarding. I certainly shed tears on both. I’m sure we all shed a few tears when the foster moves on to their forever home, but you have truly been an angel to that pet.
Fostering is the best solution for these pets who might not have experienced a loving home or puppies that need a positive start. While it can be a bit of management with extra pets in the household, it’s not impossible and please stay open to offering up fostering space in your home. Focus on the positive and remind those naysayers of why we do what we do. Remember that the other volunteers in the rescue are there to help support you!
If you are interested in becoming a foster home, please click here to read more about our foster program!