What exactly does fostering mean? It means bringing a homeless animal into your home, caring for them, and providing them with affection and socialization, until a permanent family comes along who will love them forever. It means you want to help save a life.
Many times rescues organizations, who have no central facility, rely solely on foster homes to determine how many dogs/cats they can pull from county high-kill shelters. Similarly, humane societies and shelters rely on rescues like us to help save these precious lives. Many of the animals we pull have landed in rural shelters with no hope of ever being adopted. The only option besides us stepping up is euthinasia. Having fosters in place allows us to pull more dogs/cats from high-kill shelters and bring them to safety and love. ., who may be long term residents and/or at risk of euthanasia due to overcrowding. Shelters also rely on fosters to provide a change of environment for long term residents or those dogs who may be having a hard time adjusting to a kennel atmosphere. Fosters are crucial to shelters and rescues ability to help expectant female dogs, by affording them a quiet and comfortable atmosphere to deliver puppies and care for them in those first weeks of crucial development.
Simply, socialization begins at home. From the moment you bring a new rescue home, the decompressing process starts. Learning to trust, accept love, believe that life can be better, and learn how to be a pet again is all part of the journey. And, playing a role in this transformation is supremely rewarding for our foster families. Often times, certain dogs may not "show" well in a kennel environment due to excess energy, or jockeying for attention as potential adopters walk by. While fostering a dog, you are able to provide exercise and stimulation, which in turn creates a calmer dog in the kennel which in many cases may be closer to what their behavior will look like in a home environment. In addition, you can work with the dog on leash training, house training, or other basic command training, that potential adopters will find attractive when looking for the perfect dog for their family.
Your role is paramount in preparing a new rescue for adoption. It’s not as complicated as it may appear, we arm you with all the supplies and support needed. You supply the love. It’s really that simple. Shelters and rescues often look to fosters for those dogs who may have endured a difficult past such as abuse, cruelty, neglect, under socialization, etc. As a foster, you have the chance and opportunity to gain a dogs trust, show them human touch and love perhaps for the first time, provide an environment for them to feel safe, and watch them transform before your eyes.
If you have existing pets, introducing another can be a great experience for them as an additional companion and temporary playmate!. Children (over six years of age) can benefit from fostering as a way to introduce responsibility, selflessness, a way to learn about animals. Fostering is also a great way to "test" the idea of adopting a new pet \in the future.
At Rosemarie’s Rescue Ranch, Inc. you will be welcomed into a wonderful community of kind-hearted, compassionate, personally selected volunteers. We are proud of the relationships and friendships that have formed over the years. We maintain a friendly and safe, drama-free environment for our volunteers to ask questions, share ideas, and learn from each other. You’ll even be added to an online chat, so help is always just a message away. Fellow fosters from the same shelter or rescue will help guide you through the experience, give ideas, answer any questions, and may even become your friends! There is nothing quite like sharing experiences with those who do the same and being part of a community of people who have like passions.
When that day comes, because you’ll have been involved in the process of choosing your foster’s forever family, you’ll feel really good about their forever future. Who knows your foster’s needs better than you do? That is why we enlist your help in finding just the right placement. You’ll have a team behind you screening all applicants, so at the point when you are asked how you feel about the adoptive family they will have been fully approved on our end.
*And if you just can’t let go, if you’ve fallen head-over-heels in love, we go back to plan B and give you and your family first dibs at adopting your rescue. You always have first dibs even up until the last possible second. When the day comes, that your foster finds that perfect home, the rewarding feeling you will experience is something very special. You will feel a sense of pride, in knowing what you helped that dog accomplish in his time with you. You will feel overjoyed, that he has found his forever family and his happy ending that all homeless dogs so desire. And while certainly, some goodbyes can be tough, knowing that a dog has found his happy ending and that another precious life awaits to be afforded your gifts, is as good of a feeling as there is!
DEAR FOSTER MOM:
There I sat, alone and afraid,
You got a call and came right to my aid.
You bundled me up with blankets and love,
And, when I needed it most, you gave me a hug.
I learned that the world was not all that scary and cold,
That sometimes there is someone to have and to hold.
You taught me what love is, you helped me to mend,
You loved me and healed me and became my first friend.
And just when I thought you'd done all you do,
There came along not one new lesson, but two.
First you said, "Sweetheart, you're ready to go,
I've done all I can, and you've learned all I know."
Then you bundled me up with a blanket and kiss,
Along came a new family, they even have kids!
They took me to their home, forever to stay,
At first I thought you sent me away.
Then that second lesson became perfectly clear,
No matter how far, you will always be near.
And so, Foster Mom, you know I've moved on,
I have a new home, with toys and a lawn.
But I'll never forget what I learned that first day,
You never really give your fosters away.
You gave me these thoughts to remember you by,
We may never meet again, and now I know why.
You'll remember I lived with you for a time,
I may not be yours, but you'll always be mine.
