Why fostering is one of the greatest gifts you can give a homeless animal.
Did you know that being a foster parent is one of the greatest gifts you can give a shelter animal? Even if you are not in a position to offer a homeless companion animal a permanent home, you can give them their best chance at a happy life by caring for them temporarily as a foster.
Fostering a kitten who isn’t old enough to be adopted provides them with the care and socialization that will allow them to move with ease into their dream home. Or you can foster a dog who is overwhelmed at the shelter, providing them with the emotional security they need to blossom and show potential adopters who they really are.
Whether you are caring for bottle baby kittens, or giving a shy dog a safe space until they can find a home, being a foster parent is one of the most helpful and rewarding things you can do for a shelter animal. Here are 5 wonderful reasons to foster an animal.
1. You’re giving a homeless animal their best chance at finding a home.
Ultimately we want all of the animals at DCSPCA to go to their dream homes, but sometimes an animal comes to us who isn’t quite ready to go home. Kitten season used to just be March through September, but with global warming we are seeing these tiny felines born all year round. These babies typically come to us before they are old enough to be adopted. This is where our team of fosters come in to save the day. In foster homes, kittens receive the care and socialization they need to ultimately find their human families. As a foster, you will have the joy of seeing itty bitty kitties grow in the first weeks of their lives, and know that you played a crucial role in helping them find homes.
Dogs can become withdrawn or stressed out in the shelter. When potential adopters come to meet them, the families don’t get to see what wonderful dogs they really are. In a foster home, dogs can relax and unwind. Potential adopters can get to know them rather than only seeing them when they are unhappy or anxious.
2. Your home will overflow with love.
Fostering could be the greatest job in the world because the love you give is returned to you a hundredfold. Your furry foster baby will appreciate their cozy home and all of your care, showing you their gratitude. Once it’s time to send your foster on to their dream home, your heart will fill again, knowing that you played such an important role in their life.
3. Even if you fail, you win.
You may have heard of a “foster fail,” when a foster parent adopts their foster fur baby. The truth is, this is the best form of failing. There’s nothing wrong with giving a foster pet their dream home. Whether you send your foster on to another family for the rest of their lives, or they end up becoming a part of your family, you have given that pet the greatest gift of all, the loving home they deserve.
4. By fostering, you’re creating more space at the shelter for other animals in need.
Our shelter only has space for so many animals. That means that for every animal in our care who goes into foster, a space opens up for another animal in need. If you have some spare space in your home and in your heart for a foster pet, that space is going to not only be appreciated by the pet you take in, but it could change the life of another animal who will have a spot at the shelter because of your generosity.
5. Enjoyed fostering? You can try it again!
If you loved fostering the first time, you can always do it again! We have a constant need for foster parents and if you have experience, all the better! Maybe seeing your foster dog go to their dream home was a joy-filled moment for you. Did feeding your foster kittens bring happiness to your heart? Why not sign up to foster again? One thing we can promise is that we will need foster parents for our animals again and again.