Fostering a rescue pet can be one of the most rewarding experiences a person will ever have. Taking in an animal and showing it love, companionship, and care can provide emotional benefits to both the pet and its human companion, as well as help alleviate overcrowding in local shelters. In this blog, we’ll explore what fostering a rescue pet entails and outline how doing so helps both the foster parent and the local community.
What Fostering a Rescue Pet Entails
When people think of adoption, they often think of taking in a puppy or kitten from their local shelter—but that isn’t always the case! Many rescues operate foster programs where animals are housed temporarily until they can be placed in permanent homes.
Although becoming a foster parent is still quite similar to adoption overall (your responsibilities would include providing food, water, medical attention if necessary, socialization opportunities for your rescue pet etc.), fostering does require less of a time commitment since pets are typically only with you from a couple weeks to a couple of months.
Benefits of Fostering A Rescue Pet
Aside from helping to save lives by providing extra housing space for animals awaiting forever homes, fostering has its own unique set of benefits too! Let’s take a look at how both foster parents and their furry comrades benefit from being involved in this wonderful system:
Emotional Benefits For The Foster Parent
Fostering may come with its own unique set of challenges such as cleaning up after messes or giving their new friend(s) plenty of exercise; but these are outweighed by the emotional rewards that come with caring for any rescued animal. Not only do pets bring joy into their foster parent´s life through companionship—but studies have also found that owning/fostering a pet can drastically reduce stress levels and increase feelings of security and self-worth too!
Find Companionship With your New Foster Pet
Everyone loves having friends around them—even if those friends happen to be four-legged creatures! Pets make great confidants since they don’t judge us like humans sometimes do—while also being there to offer unconditional love when it’s needed most.
Studies have proved that pets help Reduces Stress And Anxiety
Studies have consistently revealed that spending time with animals can reduce stress hormones such as cortisol while also increasing our “pleasure hormones” like oxytocin. This means not only do our furry friends lift bad moods when feeling down; but connecting with them leads to lasting mental health benefits too.
Sense Of Purpose
Finally, caring for rescued pets provides many people with an invaluable sense purpose; something which is often undervalued yet contributes greatly towards holistic wellbeing nonetheless. Providing tender loving care to an animal which may have had difficult starts or bad luck provides us all with deep personal satisfaction knowing we made even small differences in their lives—no matter how long or little we get to share together!
Benefits For The Rescue Pet
Of course it isn’t just about us humans reaping all the rewards —fostering has tremendous advantages for our feline/canine counterparts too! Let’s take a look at why rescuing animals through foster homes rather than traditional shelters makes such positive impacts on our furriest family members:
Socialization
Rescued pets brought through organizations are often given special training sessions and enrichment activities specifically tailored towards helping them settle into their new home environments more quickly; however nothing beats learning how to behave around other humans than actually interacting directly with them! Through forming strong bonds between human guardians and rescue pets during short stays (e.g., cuddles on the couch), fostered animals learn important social skills necessary for making meaningful connections outside the home sooner rather than later once permanently placed elsewhere–which makes finding adopters much easier too!
Increased chances of adoption
Speaking of finding forever families…foster stays generally last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months now depending on organization guidelines – leaving plenty of time for prospective adopters to scope out potential pooches or kitties without needing commit immediately upon first introductions (a luxury not usually afforded in traditional shelters). This gives everyone involved more opportunity find compatible matches-increasing chances your temporary buddy finds themselves within loving arms much sooner rather than later!
What to expect when fostering a rescue pet
The process for fostering a rescue pet is usually straightforward. Most organizations will require the foster parent to fill out an application or take part in a short interview. This helps the organization learn more about the individual and determine if they are a suitable candidate for fostering. Additionally, this will typically help them to find out if the foster parent already has any pets of their own, as this can affect the type of animal they can foster.
Once approved, there will be some basic paperwork and agreements that need to be filled out before the pet is released into their care. The organization may also provide supplies such as crates, food, toys, and materials needed for proper care of the pet. Once all that is done, it’s time to welcome your new family member!
Responsibilities of the foster parent
Fostering a rescue pet comes with responsibilities that should not be taken lightly. It is important to understand what you are committing to before accepting a pet into your home. You must accept these responsibilities and commitments for as long as you have the pet in your care; whether it’s one week or several months.
As a foster parent, you will be responsible for providing proper nutrition, exercise, medical care (such as vaccinations), socialization/training where possible and lots of love! You will likely play an important role in helping animals transition from a shelter environment into their forever homes; bringing them closer to finding their happily-ever-afters!
Tips for success
If you plan on becoming or already are a foster parent for so many amazing rescue pets then here are some helpful tips:
- Ensure that everyone in your household is aware of potential risks associated with certain dogs or cats prior to bringing them in (especially if you have young children).
- Take your time getting to know each animal – allow them time to adjust and settle into their new environment at their own pace.
- Stay connected with your support network; other fosters or volunteers who can offer advice and understanding during tough times which may arise during the fostering period.
- Be patient with yourself – every day will not be perfect but so long as you’re showing love & dedication towards each animal even through difficult times then everything should go smoothly!
Common Concerns and Misconceptions About Fostering
Caring for a pet is an incredibly rewarding experience, but understandably many are hesitant due to common concerns and misconceptions about fostering.
Addressing concerns about cost, time commitment, and potential challenges
It can be easy to assume that taking on the responsibility of caring for a rescue pet must come at a hefty financial and temporal expense; however, it’s important to remember that pets brought through animal rescue organizations will already have received most of their necessary vaccinations and procedures such as spaying or neutering. This can save you money in the long run since more costly treatments will already have been administered by the organization. Additionally, while all animals require a certain level of care regardless of who they come from, you are likely to find willing volunteers through rescue organizations who are eager to help out with the extra workload or any duration-based commitments so that you don’t have to go at it alone—nor do you need to worry about high cost outlays.
Dispelling myths about fostering is also essential in addressing any apprehensions prospective pet owners may be feeling when considering rescuing an animal from an organization. It can sometimes be assumed that because an animal was surrendered or taken from shelter conditions, they may have personality problems stemming from their experiences—but this isn’t necessarily true! All animals require patience and understanding regardless of where they come from—though rescue pets may need extra love as they adjust to their new home environment.
How Fostering a Rescue Pet Helps Your Community
There are numerous advantages associated with giving rescued animals the chance at finding forever homes. Not only will you be creating a wonderful life for your pet family member(s), but by choosing adoption over buying directly from breeders you’re providing your community tremendous positive impacts too!
Decreasing overcrowding in shelters
The more people who decide to foster or adopt rescued pets instead of purchasing them directly means more room in shelters for other animals waiting for loving homes. While overcrowding is unfortunately still an issue in many shelters around the world, reducing demand for bought animals helps alleviate some of this—while also enticing those looking for specific breeds (especially “designer” ones) into considering adopting instead! Every animal deserves love and companionship after all; no exceptions!
Helping to save more lives
Fostering or adopting a rescued pet helps ensure one less pup ends up euthanized due countless overcrowded shelters being unable meet demand for housing. You’re literally saving lives with every adoption—which makes every effort put into making sure your pet settles into its new home even more meaningful knowing just how much good it does overall-
Supporting Local Animal Rescue Organizations
Finally, one great way use your newfound companionship as leverage towards helping local animal welfare initiatives: if your companion was obtained through an organization then why not give back? Consider donating whatever amount possible towards supporting local animal rescues (monetary donations are always welcome but donations via gifts like food or blankets etc., work too!)
