What's Fostering Like?

We hear many objections to fostering around here. "I would get too attached", "I have no room", "My own cats/dogs/etc... would hate it", "I have small kids". What people don't realize is that these are all actually good reasons to foster.

"I would get too attached" is probably the most common objection I hear. Here's the thing though; we want you to get attached. We want you to really care for these little ones as though they were your very own. We want you to fret about their health, their happiness, their overall well being. You see, that's what makes a great foster family. Yes, it is hard to say goodbye at first. The first year of fostering, I wept every time I dropped kittens off at the place I was fostering for. What nobody told me was that eventually, I would welcome the surrender of my little wards because it meant that not only were they off to have wonderful lives, but that I now had room to save some more little lives. Yes, there are still the occasional foster babies who tug at my heartstrings when it's time to say goodbye (Wren, Gregory, and Moose come to mind), but even so they are meant for other families and other adventures.

"I have no room". Well, really everyone has room. We all have bathtubs, bathrooms, little unused corners of our homes that would make lovely little spaces in which to care for animals who need a temporary home while they wait for their always home. Look around you, you'll find so many spots. And you won't have to worry about paying for anything; rescues pay for the needs of the companion animal while it's in your care. That means you won't worry about the cost of food, litter, puppy pads, or anything else like that while they're your foster.

"My own pet would hate it". Well, fair. Nobody wants to put their pets through unnecessary stress. However, our oldest cats were 8 years old before we started fostering and while they weren't thrilled, they did get accustomed to the parade of little goobers through the house. It took some learning on all of our parts, but a good rescue will help and advise you through the process of settling your companion animals in to being foster siblings.

"I have small kids" is, if anything, an even bigger reason to foster! What better way to teach your children about how to give selflessly of their love and attention? They will also get to experience the wide range of personalities that animals have, and get to know about the behaviours of the animal you're fostering. Fostering with kids is a wonderful experience, and I could not recommend it more.

If you're interested in fostering or would like more information, please email us or download the foster application form here and send the completed application back to our email. We will contact you as soon as possible for a visit and discussion regarding your application. Thank you so much!