The Joys and Benefits of Fostering by Michael Hylton, Adoption Support Team
Editor's Note: Michael and his wife Debby started their fostering career with another rescue organization. They joined ADA a few months ago and have now decided to lead our Adoption Support Team.
Until four years ago, I never thought about fostering. Then we adopted a rescue dog, named Radar (Ray). Ray was roaming the streets at six months and likely would not have survived if not for some dedicated volunteers. My wife wanted to give back to show our appreciation and gratefulness for their saving Ray's life. "OK," I thought, "sounds good to me. He has become a 'Ray of Sunshine' in our life!" So we began to volunteer for the rescue and before you knew it we became fosters.
"OK. What's that mean?," I asked Debby. She told me basically we would be a temporary home for a dog in need, until the rescue was able to locate a "Forever Home." I knew what that meant...Hi Fido! Welcome to your forever home!!! Not interested.
Debby promised not to be a FF-"Foster Failure," where we just keep the dog. She did quite a lot of research and learned just what it took to be a successful foster, not a "foster failure." She told me about the need and I read all about the foster-model and she quickly convinced me to give it a try.
Our first foster dog was named Triscuit. Triscuit turned out to be pretty darn awesome. I was reconsidering this whole FF thing! I mean after all "Foster Failure" is pretty harsh term, I thought. Why not FF-"Foster Found," as in foster found exactly what he was looking for! Certainly Triscuit would be happy here with us! Plus, how could providing a warm loving home to a dog-in-need be a failure?
Debby remained grounded for me and, although she loved Triscuit too, she gently explained to me that if we kept Triscuit we wouldn't be able to help any other doggies in need. I agreed and we found Triscuit a home. AND boy oh boy, did he hit the jackpot...an estate in the hills of Westlake with cooked premium-hamburger for breakfast and his own E-Z lounge chair! I almost wished I was the one being adopted...smiles.
So, personally, while I don't think there are any "foster failures," I do understand that the greatest benefit can be realized by helping as many pups as possible.
Fostering is a terrific option for volunteering, but you do need to be very, very careful to decide up front WHY you are fostering in the first place.
Do you want another dog? OK, great! Then you know going in you are looking for a Foster-to-Adopt situation.
Do you want to help as many orphan dogs find a warm, loving Forever Homes as is possible? OK, awesome! Then you need to know going in that your mission is to help multiple dogs find multiple homes. Now be ready for the really heroic part---parting. It's by making your decision before you begin fostering that you can head-off one of the most difficult challenges in fostering...letting the dog go, not an easy task.
It's impossible not to get emotionally attached to your foster. You wouldn't be reading this newsletter if you didn't care about dogs. So, it's only natural that such a caring person will become emotionally invested in saving a life. And that is precisely what you are doing when you take on the challenge of being a foster. You are saving a dog's life and you are nurturing, loving, and preparing that dog to be adoptable into a forever home.
That is the Joy, the Benefit, the Satisfaction you can get from being a foster to an orphan dog in need of some love and guidance until they become forever members of families with whom they can share their lives.
Are you ready to be a hero?
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