Is Fostering for You?

Are you qualified? You pass the first criteria just by virtue of the fact that you care enough to be reading this.

Some popular reasons people claim for not fostering:

  • But I have kids - Great! More love for the love starved dear.
  • I'm afraid I'd fall in love with them and keep them - and that's a valid reason to let them die?!?
  • I have other pets - Fabulous, they can tell the new fuzzy how wonderful you are.
  • I have a small yard - And I'll bet you also have 2 feet, 30 minutes and a leash. Don't have a leash? I'll give you one!
  • I don't have enough time - these dogs are being killed when they run out of time, so don't tell me who doesn't have enough time!!!

I have personal communications with the caring folks that do rescue throughout Southern California and they are desperately seeking more foster homes so that they can save more lives.

If you are at all interested in fostering, please contact me and I'll put you in touch with that organization.

Open note about my own personal experience with fostering:

Yes - fostering is definitely difficult because, if an animal is in my home, it is loved as my own. And my own are very well loved. It was a natural and necessary progression for me. I had been doing a newsletter called Kim's Fuzzies, where I showcase adoptable dogs throughout Southern California, for several years. The main drawback I've seen from the various rescue agencies to saving more dogs is that there are never enough people willing to give fostering a try. As I would put pleas in my newsletter for more people to open their homes, I realized that it was sort of hypocritical to ask for people to foster when I wasn't doing it myself.

I realized that my main reason for not fostering was that I was afraid I'd fall in love with them. I decided that the worst thing that would happen with my first foster was that I'd end up adopting him/her myself and never do it again. I have fostered 13 dogs so far. I have fallen madly and passionately in love with all of them. I have considered keeping each one and have been highly picky about the applications that have come in. The families I have chosen have each come down to the comment from me to myself "If I can't approve this family then I might as well concede that no family will be good enough". I have cried for several days after each has moved out. However, that couple of days of pain is fully worth the fun I have having them in my home and the fabulously selfish and proud feeling I get knowing that their lives are better (or that they have lives at all) because I did this. I am lucky enough to get updates from their new families and the dogs are doing amazingly!

What I tell myself to make it easier is that I can't be so conceited to believe that I am the best possible mommy for every dog that comes along. That there are people at least as loving and spoiling as I am who deserve some of the love that I get to experience with these babies. I tell myself that, if I don't adopt the foster out, then I won't be able to foster again and some really deserving puppy might have to die in a shelter because of my selfishness. I hope that by the time I weaken, I can afford a bigger home with a bigger yard and then I can adopt one of them and still have room to foster one.

I guess the reason I'm rambling on is to say that, if you love animals, you might want to consider fostering at some point as a way to get your fix in little temporary shots. Fostering isn't just dogs and cats. Spirit's mom does wildlife rescue and specializes in hummingbirds. I'm considering adding a finch cage to my back yard in the next 6 months that I can't foster and then maybe I'll foster finches. You can foster snakes or whatever else your heart desires and know that it's only temporary. We've had a history of adding a new pet to our household about every 2-3 years. Fostering may help me keep our home from becoming a zoo with permanent additions.