Foster with your brain, not just your heart
Rescues are always in desperate need of foster homes, and that’s especially true at the moment. Fostering a rescue dog while they wait for their forever home is incredibly rewarding, and a great way to gain experience with different dogs while helping others and feeling like you’re really making a difference. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns though, and if things aren’t set up well things have the potential to go seriously wrong as shown by recent court proceedings.
Here’s a few things to think about to make sure you and the dog you’re fostering have a good experience. A lot of these also apply to adopting any adult dog!
⛪️ Link up with the right organisation who are screening incoming dogs appropriately and making good matches.
Both parties should be asking a lot of questions to find the right match. From the rescues side, they should be checking out what your experience is, what your home is like for a dog, and what support you might need. From your side, check out what sort of support might be available in case things are not working out, or if you need training help. Ask what the process is like for incoming dogs in terms of assessment and veterinary care, and if you’re on a limited time frame be open about that so they can prepare in advance if the dog is still in care by then (it might range from a couple of weeks through to several months, occasionally years in very difficult cases). Keep in mind that a lot of organisations are run by volunteers in their spare time so communication won’t always be instant, but they should be able to answer your questions clearly and show that they are taking steps to ensure everyone has the best possible outcome.
🧠 Make decisions with your brain, not just your heart - being realistic about what you can take on.
It can be really tempting to buy into the frantic social media rush to find a foster home before a dog is euthanised, to flex your boundaries based on a “maybe we can make it work to save this dog…” Always remember that there are worse fates than death, and going through a stressful experience in the wrong foster home can be one of them. Poor matches can also leave you burned out and unable to help future dogs who might be better suited and also need you. If you have had limited experience, always start with a (singular) foster dog that has been properly assessed by an experienced rescue or animal control team member or a trainer - no matter how urgent the dog or how much pressure they put on you to take it. And if you are already dealing with challenges of any sort with your existing members of the household, put them first and foster once you’ve got the time and energy to really commit. You and your family come first, and guilt trips have no place in ethical rescue. There will always be more dogs needing help because try as you might, you can’t save them all.
🐶 Set them up for success - assume the worst, hope for the best.
Whether you know the dogs history or not, your home is a brand new context for them, it can be stressful going to a new place and sometimes they may behave differently than they did in their previous home or temperament assessment. Don’t take their good nature or apparent good manners for granted. Instead, treat them like any brand new dog who needs time to decompress and adjust. Plan on lots of down time in their own space. If your full attention isn’t on them then they’re in their crate or kennel where they can’t get into trouble. If they’re out, have a short line attached so you can easily catch them if needed without direct conflict. Don’t allow kids and other pets to get all up in their space, especially unsupervised. Don’t go overboard with the affection. As they start to settle you may gradually integrate them more into a typical pet life, but I’d rather you start in a way that can sets them up for success and keeps everyone safe than giving the dog total freedom and having a disaster right out of the gates. Many dogs have come from a very different background to the home you’re likely offering, and it can be a big adjustment.
🚩 Honesty is the best policy.
Don’t ignore red flags and hope they will get better because you don’t want to burden the rescue. An ethical rescue would much rather know now so they can support you before it becomes a huge problem, or so they can match it with a suitable home to cater to these needs. And when it comes to writing blurbs to rehome these guys, don’t allow it to be covered up with cutesy language that skirts over issues that the new home needs to know about. Better it taking a little longer to find the right match, than rushing to a place a dog in a home that isn’t fully prepared for the dogs true needs.
💪🏻 Be realistic.
Adult dogs typically aren’t in rescue because they’re perfect, highly in demand perfect pet dogs. It does happen occasionally (I’ve had some absolute unicorns!), but when it does those guys typically find homes in about 2 seconds flat. You’re probably going to have some quirks to work through (which should be minor if in a beginner foster home), you’re probably going to need to put in a bit of work, and rescues don’t always have foster homes coming out of their ears to move them to quickly so you should be fairly committed to seeing it through (within reason, with support there if really needed). It can absolutely be worth the effort to see the happy outcomes, but don’t go in with rose tinted glasses on expecting a fairytale every time.
🌟 I’m so thankful to the dogs I have fostered for the lessons they’ve taught me. From good family dogs, to working farm dogs, to narcotics detection and operational search and rescue dogs, I love seeing the dogs that have come through my place going on to live amazing lives doing cool stuff. However it is a big commitment full of ups and downs, and if you foster enough you will almost certainly get your heart broken at some stage. But if you’re ready to step up to the challenge and put the work in with your eyes wide open, getting to be a part of a team really making a difference to the lives of these dogs might just be one of the most rewarding things you ever do.
