10 Incredible Reasons to Foster Rescue Dogs
Published on September 10th, 2019
Have you ever thought about fostering rescue dogs? Well… maybe you should! Read on for 10 reasons to foster rescue dogs.
Many smaller dog charities run on a foster basis rather than using kennels.
This means that the dogs in their care live with families in their homes, rather then being confined to kennels.
There are so many benefits of foster-based rescue rather than kennel-based for the dogs.
Finding themselves in rescue can be extremely disorientating, however with fostering at least they are still in a home with a loving family where they can be taken take of and loved until their find their forever home.
Dog rescues are always on the looking for new foster families as the more that they have, the more dogs that they can save!
If fostering rescue dogs is something that you think your family could be ready for, then read on to find out the benefits of becoming a dog foster carer.
Even if fostering is something you’ve never thought of (or perhaps never heard of!), then keep reading to discover more about it. You never know, you may just be convinced to give it a try!
Should you foster rescue dogs?
There are many reasons why fostering rescue dogs is an excellent thing to do.
Here are ten reasons to foster rescue dogs:
1) You’re helping a dog in need
This is of course the number one reason – you’re helping an animal when they need it most.
Being put into rescue can be traumatic for some dogs, particularly if they have come from a loving home due to a change in circumstance.
The poor pooch won’t know why they have had to change homes all of a sudden, but living in a foster home will certainly be better for them than being forced to live in kennels.
2) You’re getting a dog out of kennels
As I just mentioned, by fostering a rescue dog it means that dog doesn’t have to spent his time in kennels until he gets adopted.
Living in a family environment is far more enriching and positive for the dog than spending time alone in a small kennel with limited human contact.
3) You’ll help the dog to get adopted faster
By having the rescue dog live with you, you’ll get to learn all about their personality.
If you write up their likes, dislikes, tricks they know, how they walk on the lead, their favourite food and other such information, this can help the dog to get adopted faster as it helps get interest from potential new owners.
Often, the more detailed the write-up about a dog, the more interest they get as interested parties find themselves drawn to the dog before they even meet them.
Plus, you’ll be able to take loads of adorable photos of them to help gain interest!
4) You get to experience different dog breeds, sizes & temperaments
If you’re thinking of getting a dog of your own, but you’re not sure which type will most fit with your family, fostering dogs is a fantastic way to find that out.
With fostering, you often can’t choose which type of dog you get asked to look after – it will depend on the needs of the animal charity at the time.
You’ll probably find that you get to experience a wide variety of different dog breeds and sizes as well as different personalities.
You might have a lively collie one time, and a lazy older greyhound the next.
Of course, if there are particular types of dog that you know you wouldn’t get on well with, simply tell the charity and they will be sure to avoid housing those types of dogs with you.
5) It’s great socialisation for any dogs you may own
If you have a dog of your own, fostering dogs gives them an excellent chance to socialise with other dogs.
Many dog fosterers that I’ve met have at least one dog of their own.
Fostering dogs lets their dog have all the fun of having a friend in the house but without the long-term commitment.
Having a range of dogs over the course of a few months or years lets your own dog be wonderfully socialised and having a second dog at home can be great if your dog is frequently left alone.
6) Get to know if having a dog is right for you
If you’ve always wanted a dog but you aren’t quite sure if getting one is the right decision for your family, fostering rescue dogs can help you to understand if dog ownership is right for you or not.
You’ll get to look after the dogs as if they were your own, safe in the knowledge that if things really don’t work out, the charity will be able to rehouse them in a different foster home.
7) Get the benefits of dog ownership but without the expense
Similarly, if you desperately want to own a dog but you aren’t sure if you can afford it, fostering is a way around that as most rescues will pay all expenses for the foster dog in your car.
That includes food, medication, a dog bed, lead, harness and of course treats and usually a couple of toys.
If you can bear with having the dogs leave when they find their forever home, then fostering rescue dogs instead of having one of your own can be an excellent way to experience dog ownership but without the personal expense.
8) No long-term commitments
If you adopt or buy a dog of your own, you’ll know that it’s a long-term commitment.
Many dog breeds can live to over 10 years of age, or even 15+.
Even if you adopt an older dog, it’s still a long-term commitment.
With fostering, you’re only committed to that dog for as long as it takes them to find a new home.
This could be as little as a few days, but it probably more likely to be a couple of weeks.
In rare cases, a dog may end up in foster for several months, however if this is the case and you really can’t commit that long then you should take to the rescue and see if they can source an alternative foster home for that dog.
9) You’ll meet new people as well as dogs
Fostering rescue dogs isn’t just about canine companions – it’s about meeting people as well!
You’ll probably be asked to attend fundraising events or group dog walks with your foster dog so that members of the public can meet the dog.
Over time, you’ll make friends with the other foster carers and volunteers at the dog charity, and form a tight-knit group with them as you bond over your love of dogs!
10) Enrich your lives with your new doggie friends!
Getting a new dog is really exciting. With fostering… you get that excitement time and time again as new dogs come into your live.
Yes, I know that it can be heart-breaking when a dog leaves you, but you should be very proud of yourself that you have cared for them when they most needed it, and happy that they are off to a new loving home.
I think fostering rescue dogs is a wonderful thing for a family to do.
If you have space in your home for an extra four legs, perhaps dog fostering is something that could be in your future?
If you’re interested in fostering dogs for rescue charities, try doing a Google search for foster-based dog rescues in your local area.
