Fostering 101

What if?

If we put together a package to attract New Foster Families, and it included a transport crate, a crate for your home, de-worming medication, flea preventative, dog food, leashes and collars, would you be willing to foster for us for 12 months and foster a minimum of five dogs over that 12 months…. and the dogs you foster may not necessarily have to be herding dogs.

Remember, our dogs stay in foster care for an average of 11-16 days. And all dogs are spay/neutered and fully vetted.

But wait, there’s more!  What if we provided you with three 2-hour training sessions with a professional trainer/behaviorist, covering things like body language, resource guarding, food aggression, leash training, crate training, and much more….

But wait, there’s more!  We  also would create a “how to” foster program, and after successfully completing this training, and fostering for us, a certificate of completion would be awarded, stating that you are a Certified Dog Liberator Foster!

Would you say yes or no?

 

We posted a simple question on Facebook:

If you’ve ever thought about fostering a dog, but have never really made that big decision to say yes… what would it take to convince you to foster? 

What incentives, or assurances do you need… 

What are you afraid of or what makes you apprehensive?

Next Question, if you have or are currently fostering… why do you do it?

The answers we received were very unexpected!  The majority of folks said they were afraid to foster because they were afraid they would get too attached.

Here are some more great answers!

Michelle Kamber:  I was reluctant to foster at first too, fearing I’d get too attached and not be able to let them go. But, I will say that deciding to foster has been such a great decision and one of the most rewarding things I’ve done. Being able to help save a life is a great feeling. From picking them up at the shelter (or wherever) and seeing their relief in the car and home, to finding the absolute perfect forever families for them, there is nothing better. There have been tears shed for sure when some were adopted but it’s all worthwhile. (Came really close to being a foster failure a time or two….) I’m honored to have been able to spend a few weeks with these wonderful dogs and am always amazed how the perfect family always finds them. The follow up after an adoption with the family is wonderful as well and makes me happy. I keep an album full of pictures of dogs I’ve been able to help and looking at it makes a bad day much better. Fostering saves lives!

 

Laura Burk:  OK well I am a foster… fell into it by accident. I was transporting and there was always a day or two between meeting the incoming transport and taking them to Deltona and Gisele. Then something happened, kennel cough and the puppies Gisele had needed to get out of dodge. It was easy and puppies are fun… but then came the call. The call about Cecilia, LOL… She needed my family, that was what Gisele said. She needed a male dominated home to help her overcome her fear of men. I talked it over with my family… we decided to try it. She was a success and we were hooked. No greater feeling that helping a dog overcome whatever obstacle holds them back from the joy that every dog should feel. We have been fostering since June 2013 and love it (most days). I thought I would keep them all but I love the feeling I get when someone emails me days after an adoption to thank us for what we do. I love helping them move on to their furrever homes! And at 20+ foster/transports, I have only failed once, LOL… Like right now we are without a foster and my husband keeps asking me when we are getting the next one (hint hint… the one with blue eyes would be wonderful) I won’t lie, you get attached and it is hard sometimes to let go but knowing that each little one you let go makes room for another that might now make it without you is worth it every time! 

My favorite answer (because it sounds like something I would write) was from Daniel!

Daniel Frazier: As a foster, I’ve gotten completely overly attached to nearly all my old fosters and would take them back in a heartbeat. The only reason i let them go in the first place is because i know in my heart that their new family would be able to take care and love and spoil the pup as much as i ever could. It just warms my soul when i see them after months of them being in their new homes. That moment when they recognize you and start wagging their whole body and are just so excited they can barely contain themselves.

Why did we ask the question?  We are piloting new ideas to attract and retain great foster homes by identifying what they need.  What incentives do foster families need, what support system is required?  All of this information will be identified in a grant proposal.  Our goal is to identify and support ten new fosters in the next 12 months.  Each foster will be asked to foster 5 dogs each year.  If we are successful we could increase our adoptions by 50 dogs per year.

Our rescue is never inundated with rescued dogs.  Our dogs, on average, are adopted within 11-16 days.  In every foster-failure situation, the foster had room for one, was actually thinking about adopting one, and was waiting for the right dog to come along!

Most of our fosters are actually very reluctant to keep one of their foster dogs, knowing that the space that dog will fill might affect their desire to foster in the future.  “I’d love to keep him, but then I wouldn’t be able to foster again.”

We welcome your comments here to help us brainstorm on what it would take to really create a rewarding foster program!

For detailed information on how to foster for TDL, visit our Foster Page.

TheDogLiberator@gmail.com

Instead of us telling you what a difference you can make, let the dogs show you!