Why You Should Consider Becoming a Foster Carer to a Dog

If you’re thinking about fostering a dog, then prepare yourself for one of the most fulfilling and meaningful experiences you’ll have in your life. By being a Foster Carer, you temporarily commit to providing a safe and comfortable home to a dog, which would otherwise spend its days in a shelter until it is adopted. Volunteer Foster Carers are essential to shelters and rescue programs for these reasons:

Shelters Run Out of Space

Shelters have a limit to the number of dogs they can keep, especially if they’re taking them in at a faster rate than they are being adopted. Rescue programs often don’t have space or resources to hold on to dogs and instead they look to shelters or Foster Carers. If you want to help reduce the burden on our shelters and rescue programs, why not look into how you can foster dogs in Sydney? By offering to look after one until the shelters have space to take it in, you will help to make sure that no dog is left behind.

Kennels Aren’t Appropriate for Some Dogs

For instance if a puppy is less than 8 weeks old, it is not adoption-ready yet. Shelters can be intimidating for puppies this young and it is preferable that they are fostered in safer and more affectionate environments so that their growth and development are not hindered by stress. The same applies to dogs that show signs of introversion or depression or are recovering from medical treatment. Introverted dogs can especially benefit from a home environment where they have a chance to interact with people and learn to overcome their shyness or fear.

Fostering Helps the Adoption Process

When people adopt dogs they’re often looking for one that’s a perfect match for their personality and lifestyle. Shelters usually help adopters make their choice by giving information about the dogs that they house. However, it can be quite hard for Animal Shelter Workers to judge a dog’s character when it’s confined to an enclosed space like a kennel. Dogs tend to open up more and be themselves when they’re settled into a home environment. When you’re a Foster Carer, you can aid the adoption process by giving your opinion on what kind of adopter will best suit your foster dog.

Fostering Can Save Lives

If left without any options, shelters may have to consider euthanizing dogs to prevent their kennels from being overpopulated. Therefore, by choosing to foster a dog, not only are you giving it better-living conditions, you may, in fact, also be saving its life.

By helping to take care of dogs that have nowhere to go, you will be providing a noble service to both the shelters and the dogs themselves. In addition, it may very well turn out that you want to adopt a dog of your own after the experience. In fact, if you’re uncertain about whether you’re ready to adopt a dog, being a Foster Carer is a great way to put that to the test.