5 Insider Secrets Only Foster Dog Parents Know
I’ve always been a pet lover. I grew up with cats and dogs, even though allergic as all get out, because the quality of life is so much greater with fur-babies.
As an adult, knowing that there are so many pets who need fostering and adoption to live their best lives, my husband and I decided we’d be foster parents within rescue organizations. Sounds great, right? Charitable and noble… and it totally, totally is.
But we learned some things as ‘foster parents,’ and they’re things that no one told us about before we began fostering within rescue organizations. Maybe they’re some things you didn’t know either.
For all of you potential dog foster parents out there, I’d like to share a few insider tips I had to learn the hard way:
1. There is so much abuse of animals in this world. It’s sad. I mean, heartbreakingly sad. When our rescue organizer would post about available foster dogs, there were times that I’d literally get sick to my stomach learning about the trauma and abuse so many animals go through. Situations I’d never dream in my wildest dreams actually happen all the time and it broke our hearts.
Related: Adventures In Fostering: A Day In the Life Of A Dog Foster Dad
2. Not all rescue organizations are created equally. We fostered Golden Retrievers for a great organization when we lived in Maryland. This allowed interaction with other organizations that we found to be, well… let’s just say we were concerned about their ‘rescue’ efforts as well. Many seemed to be hoarders, creating unrealistic and unnecessary regulations and requirements for the adopting out of their dogs. This often left good families who would be amazing pet parents out in the cold simply because there was a difference in opinion about something like how many walks a day a dog should have.
Related: Why You Should Consider Fostering A Dog
And let me tell you… no one can possibly tell you how great that feels!

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