Being A Foster Dog Mom

I am a doggie mom and I am a foster doggie mom. Fostering a dog - taking a dog into your home and providing it with shelter and care for a predetermined amount of time or until a forever home is found - is one of the most rewarding things a dog person can do.  I admit I am a little biased: I have never met a dog I did not like.

April Ash 

Which Shelter Dogs Go To Foster Homes
Shelters typically foster out dogs who are too stressed out by the shelter environment or need more individual attention than the shelter can provide (including puppies who are too young to be adopted).

The most common reasons foster homes are needed are:

The shelter is overcrowded, and placing dogs in foster care frees up space to save more dogs.

Shorty Dog 

• The rescue group wants to learn more about a dog’s personality and behavior in a home setting.
• A young, energetic dog needs to learn some basic manners before being made available for adoption.
• A shy or timid dog needs a safe place to come out of her shell.
• A dog is recovering from illness or injury.
• A senior or sick dog needs loving hospice care.

Of course, there are also foster-based rescue groups that don’t work out of a facility, but instead rely on foster homes to shelter and care for dogs. For these groups, foster homes provide the necessary caregiving, training, and assessment to help dogs find forever homes, and are a vital aspect of their lifesaving work.

Suzie Q

What Will I Need To Do As A Foster Mom
The main function of a foster home is to provide a safe, loving home environment. For the most part, this entails caring for your foster as you would care for your own dog: offering food, affection, socialization, and exercise to keep the dog happy and healthy.

As a doggy foster parent, you may also be asked to:

• Transport the dog to and from adoption events.
• Participate in obedience training at home and/or in classes.
• Report back to the shelter/rescue workers with information about the dog’s personality and behavior.
• Speak with potential adopters to tell them about your foster dog and help determine if they are a good match.

Your time and commitment level can vary depending on your schedule and the rescue group’s needs, and when you start fostering, the rescue will help match you with a dog that suits your lifestyle and home. First-time fosters can get their feet wet with “easier” dogs; the more invested and experienced in fostering you become, the more willing and able you may be to take on challenges. No matter what kind of dogs you foster, all foster homes provide the valuable service of socializing a dog and getting to know its personality. Your relationship with the dog is key information in helping the dog find its ' forever home.

Why Do I Foster Dogs
Why is fostering a dog so great? For starters, fostering is one of the most direct things you can do to save lives. Fostering:

Bobby 

• Makes room for other dogs in the shelter, freeing up space to help more dogs in need;
• Builds on your canine expertise;
• Gives you those warm, fuzzy feelings only volunteering can provide;
• Brings the fun and companionship of a dog into your life. There’s nothing like seeing a shelter dog blossom into a loving companion, and sending her off to a happy family who found their forever buddy, thanks to you.

Of course, fostering comes with one big hazard that can also be one of its biggest rewards: you just might fall in love! “Foster failures” abound in the dog rescue world, and I know because I am one myself, just ask, Honey Bunny, Coco C, Peggy, Shasha Grace, Chrissy D, Itsy,  Precious, Hope, Shorty, Crystal, Suzie Q, Amy Jo, Bobby, April, Gidget, Clinnie Bell, and Clowie.

~ ConnieKayA ~
A Southern Girl sharing her passion for living an abundantly blessed life.

Unwanted Four-Legged Members of the Community

This has been a trying week for the humane society, filled with dark clouds.  There seems to be no end to the homeless and unwanted four-legged members of our community.

Two dogs (different homes) on chains, limited food and water, flies literally eating their ears off.  One Moma dog, seven puppies, no shelter, limited food, now 3 puppies.  Two puppies no home, one run over.   It seems like it never ends…..

As we talked about last week, spay and neuter, will lessen the number of unwanted animals. And yes, we have a spay-neuter ordinance, but the humane society does not have the authority to enforce it.  So the next time you see animal control ask them about the spay-neuter ordinance.  If you know of someone who has a dog that has liter after liter of puppies, call animal control, ask animal control to enforce the spay- neuter ordinance.

As for the dogs on the chain, as long as the dog has food, water, and shelter there is nothing we can do.  Don’t ask us how much water or how much food, or what constitutes shelter. Arkansas’s law is vague. And yes, animal welfare groups have tried and tried to improve the law.  But each time, we are fought at the legislative level by Arkansas Farm Bureau.  See, Arkansas Farm Bureau thinks if you give a domestic animal a decent place to live and define adequate food and water, you are opening the door to crazy animal people wanting farm animals to have humane treatment.

Over the next month you may be approached by a politician out asking for your vote. When you do ask the politician if they will stand strong and support the rights of domestic animals.

With every dark cloud comes sunshine. Our sunshine this week comes with the adoption of a couple of awesome dogs locally, seven adoptions at Petco and seeing pictures, of the dog we sent to Mary’s Rescue, enjoying life with their new families. 

~ ConnieKayA~
   Doggie Mom 

To A Homeless Dog You Could Be The World

This week has seen cooler temperatures but no relief in unwanted animals.  If you haven’t noticed, our weekly theme is consistently, “help there are too many unwanted animals and too few homes.”

Heath our Pet of the Week - Looking for his forever home 

Dogs that have been dumped, surrendered, or abandon by their humans often suffer from behavior issues, including excitability, attention-seeking issues, hyperactivity, persistent barking, fear and aggression toward strange people and dogs.  These dogs can exhibit bizarre, strange or repetitive behaviors such as hoarding, digging deep holes, or compulsive behaviors like sucking on cloth or licking the furniture.

Sonya is a sweet shy girl, she is looking for a fulltime family

Our staff and volunteers understand that these dogs are going to have mental health issues, but often we have good people with good intentions adopt our rescue dogs only to bring them back to the shelter because they do not understand the dog’s behavior.

Rehabilitating an abused dog presents a significant challenge, because these animals have been exposed to negative things they can’t unlearn despite your best efforts. But it’s important to feel hopeful, because life-changing progress can be made and there’s nothing more gratifying.

It takes time to help an abused dog learn to be less fearful and develop trust in humans again. With knowledge, hard work, and commitment, a previously abused pet can be transformed into a much-loved member of your family… but they can’t be reborn. It’s important to always remember that.

Here are some general guidelines for creating a safe environment for a previously abused dog(s):

• Make them feel loved and needed; communicate clearly with them
• Do not force anything on them under any circumstances – allow them to adapt to their new family and life at their own pace. Provide them with a safe place where they can be alone when they feels like it
• Protect them from whatever they fears
• Create opportunities for them to be successful and build their confidence            

We share all of this information this week in hopes that we will have a few good people with good intentions, who are willing to put time, effort, and love into helping us rehabilitate those who have been dumped, surrender or abandoned.  

Volunteers at Petco 

We promise in return you will have wet noses kisses and free tail wags. 

“To the world you are one person, to a dog you could be the world”

If you would like to be a foster home please call Pam Ford at 838-5512.