10 Top Reasons to Foster an Animal

Foster volunteers are made up of animal lovers who are aware of the devastating and growing problem of animal over population and the inhumane treatment of animals.

Foster homes are always urgently needed. Lives can’t be saved without them.

Fostering an animal isn’t a lifetime commitment, it’s a commitment to saving a life!

All you need to provide is a place for the animal to go, and love. The rescue or shelter will supply the rest. And what you get back is immeasurable, unconditional love and joy from saving a life. An estimated 8 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters in the U.S. each year, and approximately 4 million or 11,000 each day are euthanized.

Craving some canine or feline company, but unsure about the long term responsibility or bills?

Considering a breed for a Companion Dog, Service Dog or Emotional Support Animal, but uncertain if it is the right fit for your lifestyle?

On a waiting list for a trained Service Dog and would like a little furry buddy for emotional support in the meantime?

Love cats but are afraid they wouldn’t fit in with your family because you have dogs. Then fostering may be the answer. You will be giving this pet a chance to find a forever home as well!

Here Are The Top Ten Reasons To Foster an Animal

1. You increase that animal chance of being adopted. By fostering you are a link between the animal and potential homes. You can spread the word about what a good dog or cat he or she is, how they interact with people and other animals.

By living with you, he has the chance to learn behavior that will make him/her more appealing to other families. When you foster a dog, you have the ability to transform him/her to a dog someone would be honored to live with….Most dog and cat trainers for the movies and TV are adopted shelter dogs.

2. Your own pet will learn more social skills. Rescue groups provide immeasurable support and some even offer invaluable training.

3. It’s a good way to see if you are ready for an additional pet. It’s not always clear whether a second or third pet would fit in with your family. Sometimes an additional pet is a disaster. Other times it couldn’t be better. With fostering, you have a chance to see whether or not another pet is right for your family. Maybe providing temporary care is better for you.

4. You help the rescue or shelter learn about the animals personality. It’s hard to know much about a dog or cat when it’s is living in a shelter environment with 15 other dogs and cats. Placing animals in foster homes help rescues learn if the pet likes children, beg at the table, chase cats, bark when crated, know basic commands or have high or low energy. The possibilities of what a foster family will learn about an animals are unlimited.

5. You are saving an animals life. Many rescues are full to their limits and cannot take in more animals until additional foster homes open up. By fostering, the rescue can save money on her boarding fees and use it to save another homeless animal.

6. Many animal shelters and rescue groups can’t function without foster homes.

7. You might end up with a new family member. Many foster families realize the animal they are fostering is a perfect fit for their family. This is a happy ending for both the animal and humans. If you don’t foster, then you will never know what you are missing. You might never meet that special pet that could add to your life.

8. The animal gets to live with your family rather than at a shelter. Animals get stressed from shelter conditions. Shelters are noisy with limited one-on-one interaction. The animals don’t get enough exercise, training or socialization. With time, many dogs/cats develop psychological issues as pent-up energy, frustration, aggression or boredom builds.

9. Any volunteering makes a person feel good. Fostering an animal is a way to give back to your community. If you love animals, there is nothing more rewarding than helping a homeless animal.

10. It’s a way to help if you don’t have enough money to donate. If you don’t have the money to donate to animal shelters and rescues, you can donate your time by fostering.

Fosters play a very important part of rescue. Rescue groups can only pull or accept an animal in need into their rescue if they have somewhere for them to stay while they are preparing and networking them for their forever home.

Fosters are usually short term as they try to place them into their forever homes as soon as possible.

You and your family can help a forgotten animal get back on its paws by becoming a foster care family! All shelters and rescue groups needs foster families to help care for puppies, kittens, moms with litters and special needs animals.

By caring for an animal in need, in the comfort of your own home, you can give forgotten pets a second chance. You’ll be giving an animal a loving home environment until they go to their forever home…and you will have Saved a Life!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. As a foster parent, is it hard to give them up? Sure. But it also gives you a sense of pride knowing that you have helped a wonderful animal find a home. A little pain at parting; a lot of pleasure in knowing you have made a difference! One more life is saved because of you!

Q. Who pays for the Vet? All vetting is handled by the rescue or shelter.

Q. Is it expensive to foster? Fostering is at no cost to you. Pets are already spayed/neutered, and have already received their shots. Dog and/or cat food can be provided upon request.

Q. Do I have a choice of what type of animal I want to foster? You tell them what type of animals you are wanting to foster. For example: large dogs, small dogs, cats, mamas with babies, pure breed cats and dogs, bunnies, no preference, etc.

Q. What is involved? Mainly your time and your love. You would bring one or more pets into your home to nurture while the Rescue Group look for its adoptive home.

As a prospective foster parent, you will be required to complete an application and be interviewed in person. If you have pets, you will be required to provide medical records for your current pets as proof that they are up to date on vaccines and are spayed or neutered.

Q. Can I contact other foster moms and dads? Yes. You can contact and interact with other fosters by clicking on Foster Mamas Facebook page.

Q. Is there anything else I can do other than fostering an animal? Yes. Shelters/Rescue Groups need all sorts of help, so they will be able to help even more animals.Volunteers can offer to walk dogs, bath dogs, handle dogs at our Sunday adoption events, transportation to and from places, donation drives, advertising support and much more!

Q. If the dog has a handicap like blindness or can’t hear, can I still foster him? Yes, as long as you know how to treat his handicap. Obviously, it will be more difficult than a “normal” rescue dog at first, however, after learning how to handle your dog, along with some tips to follow (which will make it easier for you and your blind or even deaf dog) it will be so rewarding for you to have given this precious dog a chance to be loved, it won’t matter about that little extra effort on your part…..you will have saved a life!

• Blind Dog Tips
• 10 Reasons Why Blind Dogs Rule
• Games for Blind Dogs
• Blind Dog Toys
• Blind Dog Rescue Alliance Blind Dogs See with their Heart Call (877)254-6301 They can help you PO Box 63401, Philadelphia, PA 19114 info@blinddogrescue.org

If you feel that fostering a pet may be for you, or want more information, check out the many Rescue Groups/Shelters by clicking below. They have applications online for you to fill out along with numbers to contact them.

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Does Music Really Relax Your Pet?

Many loving pet owners have tried creative ways to ease their pets’ stress, like leaving the TV or radio on for “company” when they must leave their pets home alone.

It’s a good idea in theory, but that could actually be doing more harm than good in practice.

Studies have suggested that TV and radio can actually CREATE stress for animals because of the drastic changes in programming and the random mix of musical styles. The TV and radio certainly create “noise” but they don’t necessarily create a relaxed environment.

Just think of some of the stuff that’s on TV these days.

Would you want your beloved pet listening to crime shows with all their gunshots and sirens?…or “reality” shows where everybody is fighting and screaming with one another. I can’t even watch these shows, let alone subjecting my pets to these harsh “reality” shows.

Healing Benefits For Our Pets

Music is good for the soul. They say it calms the savage beast. And it turns out that’s more than just an old wives’ tale. It’s a proven fact.

Animals enjoy some of the same benefits of music that we do:

• Relieves Stress – Play soothing music before stressful situations such as vet visits or grooming.
• Eases the Stress of Separation Anxiety – It has a calming influence when you’re not able to be with them.
• Provides Physical Benefits – The right music slows their heart rate, increases endorphin level which creates relaxation and good feeling.
• Strengthens immunity – Music boosts the immune system which promotes health and wellness and helps fight disease.

Music is being used in many shelters to create a positive “soundscape” to sooth the animals.

Music Eases Pet Anxiety – But Not Just ANY Music Will Do

I’ll use an example so you know what I mean. Classical harp music is used around the world to help alleviate stress and heal sickness in cats, dogs, chimpanzees and other animals. Even animal shelters are now investing in sound systems and music to create a more serene environment. 

Studies show that dogs and cats seem to prefer classical music. Cats will relax in front of the speakers when classical music is playing, and dogs will actually bark less – especially when listening to the music of Bach.

Be aware of the effect of certain types of music have on your pet. See if you can determine the type of music your pet prefers. Who knows, they may even have a preference for a certain singer and perhaps even a certain song.

Benefits of Listening to Classical Music

Reports have shown that listening to classical music relaxes the fetus in the womb, and also has a calming effect on babies and children. Adults also benefit from the soothing sounds of the melodic rhythm of music.

Popular classical music by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and others using the sounds and instruments that were proven to reduce stress in recent pet anxiety studies are the most favored.

When your pets are left at home alone, this calming collection of classical musical can provide them with a more comforting environment. Not only will this help calm your pets, it will also ease your troubled mind knowing that your pets will be fine while you’re gone.
Pets find it very soothing, and so will you!

Many pets respond favorably to classical music under stress-inducing situations, often slipping into a very serene and peaceful state of mind after only a few minutes of listening.

So next time your pet(s) are stressing out, put on some soothing music for your pet(s) AND you.

Sharing your love of music with your pet is beneficial for both of you. Letting your pet share their musical preferences with you might also be a fascinating and enjoyable experience!

click here

Animals can be adopted from the Humane Society, SPCA, an Animal Foundation, adopted from an Animal Rescue Group or rescued off the street, their contribution to the household they are in, is invaluable.