Lauren Katims | Sep 9th 2019
Last year, my family adopted a senior-aged Chihuahua mix named Laney. She walked on a leash, liked car rides and had a hearty appetite. But, it soon became clear that Laney was happiest curled up on my lap with no one else around. If dogs had theme songs, Laney’s would be Just the Two of Us by Bill Withers. She growled at my husband and kids, and verged on aggressive when my other Chihuahua would innocently try to claim a leg for herself.
Laney clearly had experienced some trauma, and needed attention and patience from someone who was able to socialize her enough so she could thrive in a home environment — someone like a foster parent.
A fosterer temporarily cares for a dog, typically a few weeks to a few months depending on the dog’s needs, until the dog is ready to be put up for adoption.
Behavioral issues aren’t the only reasons that dogs need fostering. Home environments are better for dogs healing from medical procedures, puppies or kittens too young to stay in the shelter or senior dogs needing a stress-free home for hospice.
“You can save lives,” says Erin Steen, foster specialist at Best Friends Animal Society in southern Utah, of foster parents who house animals that aren’t thriving in a shelter situation or who care for animals that a shelter no longer has room for.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t keep Laney (still a sore subject in our house!), but it did show me how much impact foster parents can have on a successful adoption.
Three nationally recognized organizations take us through the steps of becoming a dog fosterer.
Continue reading from here.
No comments:
Post a Comment