Foster Care is a unique opportunity for dog lovers for whom adoption may not currently be the best situation. Instead of adopting, you can consider acting as a foster family for a dog over time. When you foster, you agree to take a dog into your home and give him or her love, care and attention, either for a predetermined period of time (at least 2 weeks) or until the dog will find forever home.
Fostering can be a wonderful experience for you and your family ‐ you can feel good knowing you have helped save a dog’s life. Foster dogs provide companionship and purpose ‐ your act of kindness is repaid in rewards that are beyond words.
MOST IMPORTANT ESSENTIALS WHEN FOSTERING PAW HELP DOGS
FOSTERING IS FREE. So to say. Rescue pays the international transportation costs (if the dog isn't already in the UK), all vaccinations, microchipping, flea and worming treatment and vet bills. We only ask that you pay for food, and home comforts like bowls, toys, treats.
FOSTERING IS TEMPORARY. The duration can range from a few days to 1-2 months, with an average stay of 2 to 4 weeks. WE KINDLY ASK THAT FOSTER PARENTS COMMIT TO FOSTERING A DOG UNTIL THE DOG IS ADOPTED OR AT LEAST NO LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. It is extremely stressful for a dog to be moved around once they are in a foster home plus not always possible to find a new foster immediately and we need to have some decent time to find a new home. We kindly ask that foster parents only request a transfer when absolutely necessary, such as an unexpected family emergency, significant changes in schedules or unforeseen difficulties in addressing a dog’s specific needs.
CAN I RETURN MY FOSTER DOG? We really hope that foster parents continue to foster until we find a permanent home for their foster dog. However, we understand that situations change and it may become necessary to return the dog. We request that a foster parent provides as much notice as possible (at least 10 days) so that we can find an alternative foster home if it is not an emergency.
FOSTERING SAVES LIVES. As wonderful as animal shelters are, they are always stressful for dogs cause the lack of quiet, personal care, training, and exercise. And there’s nothing like the love and warmth of a family! Animals in foster care tend to be less stressed, better socialised, and have a lower chance of getting sick than animals in shelters. Fostering provides a vital bridge between the sadness of the shelter and a happiness of forever home. Fostering increases an animal’s chance of getting adopted.
FOSTERING ISN'T FOR EVERYONE. There are many benefits to foster, but also there are many challenges. Some dogs can be very shy and fearful; they need extra patience. The others are too active and need training in home behaviour. Fostering will take your time. The same time very often it would be very sad to say the dog good bye at the end, as you already made bonds. But in any case fosters can be very proud that they have saved a life and because the dog has an adopter they have space to save another. Many fosters go on to adopt their foster dogs as well.
FOSTERING IS INCREDIBLY REWARDING. To see a dog enter your home, broken and shy, and then watching them slowly build up their confidence so that they believe firstly that there is something worth living for, until eventually they are happy, healthy and playful, is one of the best experiences the dog lover can have. Fostering is the emotional reward. It turns out doing good makes you feel good. Many dogs in foster homes come from a history of neglect or abuse. The people who foster these dogs feel a great sense of accomplishment seeing their personalities bloom.
PAW HELP UK provides the maximum support to all fosters. We are a community and we help each other. We have behaviour experts and experienced fosters on hand to help you. We will provide valuable materials on all sorts of dog faults and how to correct them in force free/no harm way.
