When it comes to fostering dogs for the Nebraska Human Society there is one thing that is for sure. I get asked all the same questions from everyone I know when they find out I foster. It's almost like when your pregnant and people ask you the same exact questions that the last fifteen people you just talked to asked you. So I thought I may as well write a blog about it to answer those questions and also to add some of my feelings about what I do and why I do it.
The main question I get asked is "Is it hard to give the puppies back?" Well it depends. If they are truly puppies under 6 weeks of age then NO it's very easy to give them back. By the time they are that old I have spent the last 4 weeks making sure they are fed and cleaning up all their poop. And although they are hilariously funny and totally adorable by 6 weeks they are attacking you all at once and believe me even though they are little they are mighty little boogers. They are very wonderful to have around and they bring so much joy to our lives but by the time they are 6 weeks old I am ready to take them back and let someone adopt them. I KNOW they will be adopted because they are puppies. There's very little chance that they will sit in a kennel at the Humane Society for any length of time. Usually one weekend and they are gone.
The hard part is fostering the older dogs. The older dogs have personalities. They have funny little quirky individual to them little things that they do to make them special. Usually they need to be fostered temporarily for a medical condition to be cleared up. Once they are finished with the meds and Ok'd for adoption they do go back and get put up for adoption. After you have bonded with one of these dogs it's very difficult to let them go. Although with most of them I know that my house is not a perfect fit for them. For instance when I had Mama dog. After she gave birth to her 9 puppies and we got them all out for adoption it was difficult to let her go. She was so sweet and she fit right in here. But she was older and I felt she needed to be with a family that could just pay attention to her. Instead of a family that was always on the go. As it turned out she ended up going strait from my house to a nice retired couple who absolutely wanted nothing more than to love an spoil her. And she is happy now.
To cover some of the other various questions I get asked. I never have to pay for anything to keep the animals at my home. The Humane Society provides everything I need from crates to food to medicine and just about anything else I might need. The dogs and puppies are technically still owned by the Humane Society. I am just in charge of making sure they have a safe, comfortable stress free place to get them through whatever it is they are going through.
If I have a Mama who is expecting or who already has a litter when she comes to me and someone I know want's one of those puppies I can certainly make sure it happens. Our main goal is to find these dogs homes. And if I can find homes before they even leave my house that's even better. If someone I know does want to adopt one of my fosters they will still have to go through the Humane Society to complete the adoption but it is well worth it since they Spay and Neuter all the animals and take care of all the shots before the dogs ever go up for adoption.
Why do I do it? I can't help myself. I honestly just love dogs. All of them. I think they are so funny and quirky and they bring so much joy to humans. They are the most loyal creatures on the face of the Earth and to turn my back on that loyalty goes against all the feelings I have inside of me. Is it hard work? Yes. Do I get tired? Yes. Does it always work out well? No. But that just goes with the territory. They are worth it.
Will I do it forever? I don't know the answer to that question. I know I had to stop when I was pregnant with Jelly and then waited until she was about 3 years old before I started again. I always need to look at what's going on in my life before I take on a certain foster dog. But I think I will always foster off and on for as long as I can possibly do it.
My favorite is the pregnant Mama dogs. Bella is my second one. I've had Mama's come to me with their puppies and it's just as wonderful but there is something extra special about bonding with Mama and then watching her have her babies. It's like they are yours. And watching a Mama dog take care of her puppies like it's something she has been doing her whole life is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I cannot wait for Bella's babies. She's going to be a wonderful Mama.
So if you are on my Facebook or you know me at all you know I foster and you've wondered about it. If there is any chance you think you would enjoy something like this the Humane Society is always looking for Foster Parents. Not just for dogs but cat and kittens too. And I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have if you do decide to foster. Well not cats but dogs. :D
No comments:
Post a Comment