Is Fostering Pets Right For You?

National Foster Care Month is in May! So many of our furry patients are former fosters, or foster fails. Fostering fills a crucial gap for pets that need healing, growth, training, and/or socialization before they are adopted. You may want to consider fostering if you’re an animal lover. This can be a very enriching and rewarding experience! Of course, this isn’t going to be right for everyone. A vet talks about some things to consider before moving forward below.

Space

You don’t actually need a large home to foster animals. However, you do need to have adequate space for your furry wards. If you have children and/or other pets, you’ll need to be able to keep your foster charges in separate areas or rooms.

Budget

Finances are something else to consider. Some shelters will provide some or all supplies and food, but not all of them have the resources for that. You may have some out-of-pocket costs for things like bedding, food, supplies, treats, toys, and veterinary care. These can add up quickly, so be sure you are ready for it.

Experience

You don’t need a formal education to be a foster pet parent. However, it’s best to have experience with animals, and a good basic understanding about their care and behavior needs. You’ll likely go through some training and onboarding. A home visit may also be required. Talk to your local shelters for more information. 

Letting Go

It can be really rewarding to see a pet you’ve cared for go off to their forever home, but it can also be hard to bear. Understandably, many people find it difficult to say goodbye to pets they have grown fond of. These are the ‘foster fails.’ Foster fails are what happens when people get so attached to their fosters that they adopt them themselves. Since the entire point is to find that pet a loving home, this isn’t a bad thing. However, if you think this would be too hard for you, maybe try volunteering instead.

Time Constraints

There’s usually no predetermined date when a pet will be brought to the shelter for adoption or actually adopted. With young animals, this may occur when they’re old enough to stay in the shelter overnight. In other cases, it may be dependent on socialization, growth, healing, or even available space. Consider your flexibility, schedule, and upcoming plans.

As your animal clinic, we’re dedicated to offering great care. Call us today!