If you’re considering adopting a pet, fostering a dog or cat first can be a great way to test the waters. Not only does it give you a chance to bond with a new pet, but it also helps to get them out of an environment where they might spend a lot of time in a cage and around other animals that may not be in the best of health.
Fostering a pet can also open up space at the shelter so that more cats and dogs may be rescued. Additionally, it increases an animal’s chance of getting adopted because foster families are usually the first to find out about the pet’s personality. You may even be the first to teach your foster pet basic house manners, making them more appealing to potential adopters.
Best Friends Animal Society notes that foster homes can also help adopters see pets at their best. Some animals can handle a shelter environment better than others, and in a foster home, pets can relax so that potential adopters can get a good sense of how they’d be in a home. Overall, fostering a dog or cat first can be a rewarding experience for both you and the animal, and can help to make a positive impact on the pet’s life.
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11 Reasons to Foster a Dog or Cat First
If you’re considering adopting a pet, fostering is a great way to test the waters. Here are 11 reasons why you should foster a dog or cat first:
- 1. Get to know the pet: Fostering allows you to get to know the pet’s personality, behavior and needs before making a long-term commitment.
- 2. Save a life: By fostering, you’re freeing up space in shelters for other animals in need.
- 3. Help socialize the pet: Fostering helps socialize pets and improve their chances of being adopted.
- 4. Provide a temporary home: Fostering provides a temporary home for pets who may have been abandoned or surrendered.
- 5. Learn about pet care: Fostering can help you learn about pet care and responsibilities.
- 6. Help with training: Fostering can help with training and behavior modification for pets who may have had little training or socialization in the past.
- 7. Improve your mental health: Fostering can improve your mental health and reduce stress levels.
- 8. Provide companionship: Fostering can provide companionship and love to pets who may need it most.
- 9. Help with medical care: Fostering can help with medical care for pets who require special attention or treatment.
- 10. Make a difference: Fostering allows you to make a difference in a pet’s life and help them find they’re forever home.
- 11. It’s a rewarding experience: Fostering is a rewarding experience that can bring joy and fulfillment to your life.
According to Best Friends Animal Society, fostering reveals how pets act when they’re living in a home, which is important since it’s their ultimate destination. Fostering helps to keep pets healthy. Some pets, such as kittens and seniors, are especially susceptible to illness and diseases in shelters.
The Benefits of Fostering
When you decide to foster a dog or cat, you’re providing a temporary home for an animal in need. But fostering comes with many other benefits too.
Providing a Temporary Home
By fostering, you’re giving an animal a chance to live in a home environment while they wait for its forever family. This can help them adjust to living with people and other pets, making them more adaptable in the long run. Plus, you get to experience the joy of having a furry companion without a long-term commitment.
Saving a Life
When you foster, you’re helping to save a life. By opening up your home to an animal in need, you’re freeing up space in shelters and rescue organizations, allowing them to take in more animals and giving them a second chance at finding a loving home.
Helping with Socialization
Fostering can also help with socialization. Many animals come from difficult backgrounds and may need extra care and attention to help them learn to trust humans again. By providing a safe and loving home, you can help them learn to socialize with people and other pets, making them more adoptable in the long run.
Overall, fostering a dog or cat is a rewarding experience that benefits both you and the animal. By providing a temporary home, saving a life, and helping with socialization, you’re making a difference in the world of animal rescue.
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How to Get Started
Researching Local Shelters
To start fostering a dog or cat, you need to find a local shelter or rescue group. Research the organizations in your area to see which ones match your values and goals. Look for shelters that have a good reputation and are transparent about their policies and procedures. You can use websites such as Petfinder or the ASPCA to find shelters near you.
Filling Out an Application
Once you have identified a shelter or rescue group that you want to work with, you will need to fill out an application. The application will ask you questions about your lifestyle, experience with pets, and your home environment. Be honest and thorough in your responses, as this will help the shelter match you with the right pet. The shelter may also require a home visit to ensure that your home is safe for the pet.
Preparing Your Home
Before bringing a foster pet home, you will need to prepare your home. Make sure you have all the necessary supplies, such as food, water, bowls, a bed, toys, and a crate. Set up a designated space for the pet to sleep and play. Make sure your home is safe for the pet by removing any toxic plants, securing loose wires, and closing off any areas that could be dangerous. Remember, fostering a pet requires commitment, patience, and love.
By following these steps, you can get started on your journey to becoming a foster parent and making a difference in the life of a dog or cat in need.
What to Expect
When you decide to foster a dog or cat, there are a few things you should expect. Here are some sub-sections to help you prepare:
Building a Relationship with Your Foster Pet
Building a relationship with your foster pet is important. Spend time with your pet to get to know them. Play with them, take them for walks, and give them treats. This will help them feel comfortable and safe in your home.
Be patient with your foster pet. They may be scared or anxious when they first arrive. It may take some time for them to adjust to their new surroundings. Give them space when they need it, but also provide them with love and attention.
Managing Any Behavioral Issues
Some foster pets may have behavioral issues. It’s important to address these issues as soon as possible. Talk to the shelter or rescue organization about any concerns you have. They may be able to provide you with resources or training to help manage the behavior.
Be consistent with your training. Use positive reinforcement techniques to encourage good behavior. Reward your pet for good behavior and redirect them when they are misbehaving.
Saying Goodbye
Saying goodbye to your foster pet can be difficult. Remember that you have provided them with a safe and loving home while they waited for their forever family. It’s important to prepare yourself and your family for when the time comes to say goodbye.
Stay in touch with the shelter or rescue organization. They may be able to provide you with updates on your foster pet’s new family. Consider fostering again in the future. You have made a difference in the life of an animal and can continue to do so.
FAQ
Should I foster before adopting a cat?
Fostering a cat is less of a commitment than adopting one and it gives you a chance to see if having a cat will be a good fit for you and your lifestyle. Many fostering locations will also help with supplies and veterinary care, so it’s also less of a commitment cost-wise.
Who knows? You might just make a new friend and decide to adopt them!
Is fostering bad for cats?
Cats dislike change. It tends to stress them out quite a bit and so fostering, while necessary, is not always the best experience for a cat. If you foster a cat, you should go into it with the mentality that you will adopt the cat if things work out.
By making a serious commitment to consider the cat, you can minimize the chances that it will go from home to home and suffer stress from this.
Why is it good to foster a dog?
Fostering a dog helps to get them out of a cage and into a happy, healthy home. This also frees up space at a local shelter so that another animal may be saved and it helps you to see if you are ready for the commitment of owning a dog.
As long as you go into it with the serious intent of keeping the dog if things work out, fostering can be a great experience for both you and the dog.
Do you get paid to foster dogs?
Usually, no. While some places will indeed pay you to foster dogs, most shelters simply don’t have the funds to do this.
Many will help with supplies or veterinary costs, however, so this gives you a chance to see if you are ready to own a dog and a chance to bond with a dog that might otherwise spend a lot of time in a cage.
Why should I foster a cat?
Fostering a cat or kitten helps to get them out of an environment where they might spend a lot of time in a cage and time around other animals that may not be in the best of health.
It also opens up space at the shelter so that more cats may be rescued and gives you a chance to bond with a new friend that you might well decide to keep!
Will my dog miss my foster dog?
While dogs always remember their owners, your dog might not be as sad when the foster dog leaves. If you are sad, they will notice this and act in accordance – dogs tend to reflect a lot of their owner’s emotions, but they probably won’t miss the foster dog as much as you will.
That said, it does sometimes happen, so if the foster dog and your current dog are becoming fast friends, then you should consider adopting the dog and making them a permanent family member.
How long does fostering a cat last?
With cats, a fostering period is generally going to last 1 or 2 months at the most. You can request to foster the cat longer, but at this point, you should have a realistic idea of what it takes to keep a cat in your home.
You should consider simply adopting the animal at this time so that the new friendship can grow and to keep the cat from having to go through the stress of going to a new foster home where they might not be as kind-hearted as you are.
Do cats miss their foster parents?
Yes, cats are going to miss their foster parents, but they will quickly adapt if their new home is a good one. Cats are very practical about this, more so than dogs who will remember their owners (even temporary ones) for the rest of their lives. Don’t worry – your foster cat will adapt and cheer up over time.
How long do you foster a dog?
With dogs, you should expect that you will be fostering them for at least 6 months. This period helps to ensure that the animal is both healthy and well-adjusted so that if you decide not to adopt them it will still have a good chance with another foster parent.
While this time may vary based on the shelter, 6 months is about the average.
My name is Danny Jackson and I’m the CEO and Chief Editor behind Petloverguy.com. After spending a decade working with vets and private clients as an animal behavioral and nutritional specialist I co-founded Pet Lover Guy to help other pet parents learn how to interact with, and make the most of the time that they spend with their adopted and rescued best pet friends.
Working with Ella, our chihuahua rescue, we seek to help all dog and cat lovers have the happiest life possible.
