In a recent conversation a friend shared that his children were begging for a dog.  He stated his concern that he was depriving his children the joy of having a dog as part of their family.  However, he also said that he wasn’t in a position to make a life-time commitment now.  I asked if he had ever considered fostering a dog.  There was silence and then he said, “I didn’t know you could do that!”  His kids are true animal lovers and fostering could be a perfect solution for his children and for one lucky dog.

There are so many good reasons to consider fostering – here are just a few:

• Fostering gives you the joy of having a pet without the responsibility of a long-term commitment.
• Fostering gives you the satisfaction of getting a pet ready for their furever home by sharing your home, time, and friendship.  It provides foster pets with opportunities for socializing and training that are not available in a kennel or shelter.  Foster pets get a chance at becoming cherished pets.
• Fostering is a great opportunity for families to work on a project that is fun and teaches responsibility.  The addition of a pet brings joy to a home even temporarily.  There is a sense of accomplishment when your foster becomes part of a furever home.  Your family may decide to foster another pet.  Fostering can also help a family find out if it is ready for the responsibilities of having their own pet.
• Fostering offers financial support.  The rescue or shelter usually is responsible for the financial needs of the foster pet such as any necessary medical treatments your foster pet requires during their stay with you.
• Fostering a pet gives you a first-hand understanding of the personality traits of your foster.  The knowledge you gain about your foster pet will help the rescue or shelter find the best furever home for your foster.

Fostering is a major of time and effort.  Welcoming a foster pet into your home will require changes to your lifestyle.  AND saying Good Bye will be difficult.  Yet so many foster pet parents and families agree that the rewards of fostering outweigh the costs.

Check the  Animal Rescues & Shelters section for more information on individual rescues and shelters.