Rescue Me: 10 Tips for Being an Effective Foster
From Diamond Pet: https://www.diamondpet.com/blog/adoption/foster/dog-foster-parent-tips/
“Rescue Me” is a recurring column by Samantha Randall, editor-in-chief at Top Dog Tips. She provides personal anecdotes and perspective about her life as a pet lover with a passion for cat and dog rescue. Today, she discusses what it takes to be a great foster parent to a rescue dog.
Being a foster parent for dogs is a rewarding experience, but you need to be sure that you are ready to do it before jumping in. As someone who has had the pleasure of fostering several dogs in the past, I’ve compiled a list of tips for aspiring foster dog parents.
Find a shelter or rescue organization that suits you
The first step in becoming a good foster parent for dogs is connecting with a shelter or a rescue organization. To do this, research different local shelters and rescues before you align yourself with one of them.
Meet other volunteers and ask about their experience with different organizations. The goal is to make sure that the group maintains a good reputation, that they are all about animals and animals’ best interests, and that they truly value their volunteers and their hard work.
It is also important to find a shelter or a rescue that will be there for you and help you along the way, especially if this is your first time fostering a dog.
Take short-term fostering into consideration
During the summer when many regular dog foster parents go on vacations, there is a need for short-term fostering parents who will fill in for them. Consider being a temporary dog foster parent as a way to dip your feet in the water and learn the basics about fostering dogs. If you find out that fostering suits you, you can then become a full-time dog foster parent.
Prepare your home to foster
Even if you already have a dog, there are some things that are necessary in order to prepare your home for a new foster dog. The first thing to do is to get all the necessary supplies a new dog might need, like a dog bed, a crate or a baby gate for containment, a dog brush, dog toys, training treats, etc.
Another important thing to do is to dog-proof your home, especially if you don’t have a dog already. Move electrical cords out of reach, clear out any small, sharp objects that can be swallowed, cover your trash cans, keep cleaning supplies and medications well out of reach, etc.
Talk to your rescue organization or shelter about their rules for foster dogs. Some of them don’t allow dogs to stay in the yard unsupervised since many rescue dogs represent a flight risk.