Happy Foster Friday! We like to celebrate our foster families, our fostering community, and the act of fostering itself every Friday here at AWS. There are many wonderful and beneficial reasons to foster, both for the animal and the human, and today we want to talk about fostering dogs. Why foster a dog? What should you consider? How can you help our resident canine companions? We’re here to answer all your questions!
So, why foster a dog?
There are many reasons to consider fostering a dog. First and foremost; it’s fun! A dog brings love and companionship to your home, as well as a regular routine. It’s been proven that caring for an animal can make us happier and healthier, and so we think bringing a dog into your home, even temporarily, is good for you! There are, however, many more reasons that fostering a dog is beneficial to you, to us, and to the animal.
- You help to free up space at AWS. No matter how big or small a shelter is, there is always need for more space. Bringing a foster dog into your home frees up space for another dog to come in and use our facility as either a Stay@Home, for temporary boarding, or wait to be adopted.
- You help us learn about the dog. Many dogs will act differently in a shelter environment than they would in a home. Fostering a dog will help us to learn more about their true personality. Do they like to nap on the couch? How are they with your house plants? Are they calmer or more anxious? Do they sleep through the night? All of these insights and more will help us to get that dog adopted faster and find them the perfect home!
- You give the dog one-on-one attention. We have many helping hands at AWS who work with our animals one-on-one. At-home fosters are some of our favorite! You can give our resident pups the time, attention, and love they need before sending them off to their happy home. Dogs thrive on companionship and loyalty, and so you’re making a huge difference for their mental health when you foster a dog!
- You’ll learn something about yourself. We always hear from our fosters that every new animal they bring home teaches them a little something new about themselves. You’ll be surprised to learn how patient you can be, how understanding, and how versatile. Animals keep us on our toes, but they also teach us to stop and smell the roses, appreciate a good nap, or just to live in the moment.
- You might just fall in love! Dogs are ever-loving, forgiving creatures who have a way of worming into our hearts. That’s why we call them ‘man’s best friend!’ During your foster time, you might just find your soulmate and realize that you want to make your foster dog your forever dog. That’s totally okay! If you and your foster pet fall in love, we consider that a “foster-win”, not a “foster-fail!”
Consider our friend Lucy
Lucy is a sweet and gentle girl who came to AWS very shy and timid. She quickly showed us that she was not one for a lot of noise, hustle, and commotion. Other dogs frightened her and Lucy was having trouble coming out of her shell. Luckily, she was the perfect candidate for a foster dog! She soon found a wonderful foster mom who took her into her home and helped build her confidence. Lucy began to play and explore and show us her true, shining colors. She may still be the introverted type, but we know in a home environment that Lucy will make a loving and loyal companion. Why foster a dog? So pets like Lucy can adjust, have fun, and thrive!
