Most people believe the best way to support the Watauga Humane Society, or any animal shelter, is to adopt. Adoption is typically understood as the ultimate goal; it frees up space for new animals in need and allows shelters to prioritize medical care for remaining animals. However, in recent years, fostering has spiked, with requests to foster pets rising an average of roughly 90% since the coronavirus pandemic.
Perhaps the most common concern when adopting a pet is not knowing how they’ll behave in a home. It can be difficult to gauge how an animal might adapt in an unfamiliar environment, especially if they’ve been in a shelter for an extended period of time.
Fostering is the perfect solution for this. Rather than making the commitment to owning a pet up front, there is time to decide if a foster pet is the right fit. Fostering allows prospective pet owners to experience all the basic responsibilities that come with pet ownership, like providing an animal food, shelter and exercise. For those who have never owned a pet before, experiencing these responsibilities will provide clarity on whether this is the right choice to make.
Fostering is also beneficial for shelter staff, who gain just as much from the experience as foster caregivers. It allows employees to understand how animals behave and interact in home environments, which is crucial to the adoption process.
Potential pet owners may avoid fostering because they assume rescue animals are too much work. A common assumption is that rescues are flawed animals who might have added trauma that would make them difficult to suitably care for. Some animals have disabilities, abandonment issues or other health problems that might cause a prospective pet owner to feel overwhelmed.
There are cases where a shelter animal might appear aggressive, some likely due to their environment. Many dogs are cooped up for the majority of the day, and it can be challenging for shelter employees to give adequate attention to every single animal.
Pet ownership isn’t easy. Every pet comes with their own challenges, regardless of whether or not they’ve been in a shelter. Potential foster caregivers shouldn’t discredit their ability to provide for an animal — if they’re willing to put in extra work for an animal in need, they’re more than capable of giving an animal their forever home.
Foster caregivers and volunteers alleviate the workload for those who work at the Humane Society. When people visit the shelter to interact with the animals, it’s a win-win situation for the workers and animals. Employees are able to prioritize medical care while the animal receives extra love and attention. Despite the stigma and uncertainty around fostering, there’s no denying the reward of giving a pet exactly what it needs. Fostering benefits everyone: the workers, the animals and the caregivers.
Fostering increases an animal’s chances of being adopted. Simply taking a foster dog on a walk can garner attention from potential adoptive owners. By providing an animal the chance to get out of the shelter, even temporarily, it allows others to see the animal for whom they are when they are not confined to a kennel.
Adoption can be reckless and impulsive when people underestimate the effort required to care for an animal. On the surface, having a pet seems like fun, but it’s hard work. Pet owners are responsible for love and affection, as well as providing proper care. Fostering allows potential adopters to realize they’re not equipped to handle the responsibility, giving that pet a chance to be adopted by someone better prepared.
An animal may behave differently in a first meeting versus in a home environment. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the reality of pet ownership doesn’t always match expectations. A pet that seems calm and quiet at first but becomes loud and rambunctious as soon as they get home might not be what a foster caretaker is looking for.
This becomes even more complicated for those who already have a pet. It’s not guaranteed that two animals will get along without meeting or seeing each other briefly in a shelter setting.
Adoption can be daunting, especially for college students when it’s their first time experiencing the trials and tribulations of pet ownership. Owning and caring for an animal alone is not the same as caring for a family pet. Fostering is an option that is far less intimidating in comparison.
To lessen the financial commitment of fostering, the Humane Society covers all costs. Food, toys — anything you could possibly need — is supplied by the animal shelter. All a foster caretaker has to do is provide an animal with a safe and loving environment, whether it be a temporary or permanent home.