After my last blog entry, it occurred to me I left out a couple of vital components to fostering an animal, especially if you are fostering for an organization. Fostering on your own allows you to do everything the way you want, schedule meet and greets when you want and make decisions that you see fit. However, if you are fostering on behalf of a third party there are some things that I failed to mention that you should be prepared to do. Keep the following few things in mind. You will likely be required to make trips to certain locations of the rescues choice where you will bring the dogs for exposure like adoption events, etc. Most rescues will work around your schedule. After all, most of work and have jobs separate from the rescue work we do. But, be cognizant of the fact that one of your responsibility in fostering is being able to travel with the pet to locations away from your home. Many of these events take place on the weekends. So, that means your Saturdays and Sundays may need to be allocated to adoption events. But, hey it's only temporary and it's for a cause. Plus, you will be surrounded by animal people; not a bad way to spend a day!! But, traveling with the pet or making your home open to visitors is something that you should expect to be part of your responsibility as a foster parent.
Another very important aspect of fostering that I forgot to mention, and that could be challenging for you, is the fact that you may disagree with some of the policies and procedures and decisions of the rescue you are working with. It's not uncommon that volunteers of a rescue organization often are at odds with leadership over some decisions that are made. While there is no specific advice I can give, I can tell you this. The organization is coming from a different angle than you are. The organization, in all likelihood, has liability as one of their priorities. It's not always fair or warranted, but a fact that volunteers must deal with. Aligning with the organization is sometimes challenging. But, if you focus on caring for the animal and focus on the animal only, the people crap will work itself out. I tell people who are volunteering this one simple rule: Leave your ego at home!!
Extra Tid bit: Here are some, not all, questions I may ask potential foster homes:
- Are you willing to foster indefinitely, until pet finds its forever home?
- Are you willing to drive up to an hour for meet and greets?
- Are you willing to come to my location for a couple of hours every so often to showcase and socialize them?
- Are you willing to deal with some housebreaking or other behavioral issues?
- Do you have a crate or area where pet can be safely contained when unsupervised?
- Do you have space in your home for a crate?
Another very important aspect of fostering that I forgot to mention, and that could be challenging for you, is the fact that you may disagree with some of the policies and procedures and decisions of the rescue you are working with. It's not uncommon that volunteers of a rescue organization often are at odds with leadership over some decisions that are made. While there is no specific advice I can give, I can tell you this. The organization is coming from a different angle than you are. The organization, in all likelihood, has liability as one of their priorities. It's not always fair or warranted, but a fact that volunteers must deal with. Aligning with the organization is sometimes challenging. But, if you focus on caring for the animal and focus on the animal only, the people crap will work itself out. I tell people who are volunteering this one simple rule: Leave your ego at home!!
Extra Tid bit: Here are some, not all, questions I may ask potential foster homes:
- Are you willing to foster indefinitely, until pet finds its forever home?
- Are you willing to drive up to an hour for meet and greets?
- Are you willing to come to my location for a couple of hours every so often to showcase and socialize them?
- Are you willing to deal with some housebreaking or other behavioral issues?
- Do you have a crate or area where pet can be safely contained when unsupervised?
- Do you have space in your home for a crate?
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