Fostering can come in many forms – different animals, different conditions, different lengths of time. Here are the top 5 things you should know!
Fostering costs no money, only time.
For any reputable rescue organization, they will provide everything you need. Food, medicine, supplies, etc. Of course you can always choose to supplement if you want; sometimes it’s easier for me to buy more food while I’m out, and sometimes I can’t resist that cute cat toy. For the most part, though, all expenses should be covered for you.
You can choose what kind of animal(s) you want to help.
We all have our preferences, and we all have different thresholds, interests, and abilities. You want something easy? Maybe a shy kitty cat who needs a little help learning how to be sociable. You want to go all-in? A litter of puppies or kittens will definitely keep you busy!
There are three primary reasons that an animal might go into foster:
1. Too young for adoption
2. Special medical needs
3. Behavioral issues that make them otherwise difficult to adopt (usually shyness or general lack of socialization).
Some of these situations can be fixed with time and love (like babies, of course!) and some may be more long-term and require time and effort that the shelter is not equipped to provide. There is a fourth reason that animals may go into foster: they may be very old or have permanent and significant health issues that make them virtually un-adoptable. These are often called “fospice” animals, and the idea is that they are looking for a foster home to live out their days living the best life that they can.
There are fosters available for many different lifestyles and situations
It’s okay if you live in an apartment, it’s okay if you don’t have a yard, it’s even okay if you have other pets and/or kids. Of course not every pet is compatible with every lifestyle, but there is almost certainly an animal that is compatible with YOUR lifestyle.
You can stop at any time.
You may have signed up for that cute litter of puppies, or that lonely kitty cat, only to realize it’s really not working out. Maybe the puppies are just a little too mischievous, or maybe the cat doesn’t get along with your resident pet. Regardless, sometimes things happen, and it’s okay to take the foster pet back if it isn’t working out. You can try again with another one, or take a break. It is up to you!
If you fall in love, you don’t have to give them up.
One of the biggest fears, especially for first-time fosters, is that they won’t be able to give their foster pets back. The good news is: you don’t have to! If your foster pet fits into your home and your heart, keep them. The whole goal of fostering is to help reduce the load on shelters and buy time for the pet to be adopted into a forever home. There is no reason that that forever home can’t be yours! One word of caution: if you’re a first timer and you don’t have a compelling reason to let the pet go, it will be extremely hard NOT to keep them. For me, my resident old lady cat doesn’t like to share affection, so I’ve been able to convince myself that my foster cats will find happier lives in a home with more friendly felines.
Love Cats 