Four Reasons to Foster a Dog for Your Local Shelter

When considering ways to help your local animal shelter, one of the options available that you may not have heard of but is equally important is the process of fostering. This is where a family takes a dog into their home for a designated period of time while a shelter searches for a permanent home. If you’ve never considered fostering a dog for your local shelter before, here are four reasons why you should.

1. It can help you decide if you want to own a dog.

Pet ownership can be a daunting prospect. Some dog breeds have more specialized needs than others, but all dogs have the same basic needs to be met. If you’re unsure about whether or not dog ownership is right for you, fostering a dog is a short-term investment that helps to gauge your readiness. Factors to consider when measuring readiness include adequate room in your living space (and backyard, if you have one), availability in your schedule for new time constraints, and emotional readiness for eventually having to part with your new pet.

2. It makes space in the shelter for more dogs in need.

Many shelters face the problem of overcrowding due to many animals being in need of a home. Fostering a dog in your home gives it the love and attention it needs while also keeping it out of the shelter for a period of time. This in turn frees up the shelter to have more space to accept new dogs.

3. It helps to prepare the dog for adoption.

Dogs that arrive at shelter’s door come from myriad backgrounds, and their backgrounds will often shape or even alter their personalities. An important step in preparing dogs for adoption is re-socializing them with people so they are able to successfully join a new family, especially for dogs that have become extremely skittish or wary when coming in contact with humans. By fostering a dog, you allow them to take the next step in preparing for adoption by socializing outside the shelter and becoming exposed to people outside of shelter staff. They also have the opportunity to get used to living in a home or apartment again.

4. Having a dog around can make your life much happier.

It’s extremely hard to deny the joy dogs bring people through their individual personalities, love and devotion in exchange for only the basic necessities humans provide. Fostering a dog for a short time can bring new joy to your life that you may not have expected before agreeing to foster. As your routines begin to shape around your foster dog, the dog will hopefully begin to bond with you and your family as well. The only way to truly know the benefits of fostering a dog can bring you is by taking a leap of faith and giving it a try, if you’re able and willing to.

Have you ever fostered a dog before? Share your experiences with us in the comments down below!