Why Foster?
Plain and simple – fostering saves lives! There are an estimated 3 to 4 million cats and dogs killed in shelters annually and tens of millions of strays in the United States alone, most of which will suffer and not survive. Even if an animal is in a “no kill” shelter, a shelter is not an ideal environment. The shelter experience is stressful and can lead to physical illness and behavioral issues. The sooner an animal is out of the shelter and off the streets, the better chance she or he has of finding a permanent home. Foster care makes that happen!
Fostering is the connection between rescue and adoption. A foster parent provides a temporary home for animals in need – cats and dogs we rescue from the shelter, from the street, or from neglectful and abusive situations. By offering your home, together with your time, energy and, importantly, love, you prepare the rescue for adoption. Foster parents are the backbone of Big Hands Little Paws (as well as all rescue groups). Foster parents allow us to save animals, and without them we couldn’t do it.
Fostering is flexible enough for most lifestyles, and we match our rescues to each foster home based on what’s best for both the foster caretaker and the animal. When making a match, we consider the type of rescue you prefer, the time commitment you can offer, and your experience. You may want to foster an adult cat, a special needs dog, a litter of kittens, a large dog, or just the animal in most urgent need. We make sure to match you with the type of animal you are comfortable fostering.
The length of fostering can vary from a couple of weeks to several months, depending upon the physical and emotional condition and age of the dog or cat, and how long the adoption process takes. Some animals may need more attention or help before finding their forever homes. Most have come from traumatic environments or have had minimal human contact. The nurturing, devotion and care you give during this time helps provide a second chance for your foster to find a loving permanent home.
Maybe you are thinking of adopting a cat or dog, but you’re not yet ready. Perhaps you want to add to your current pet household, but aren’t sure how your resident dog or cat would react to another animal. You might want to adopt a certain type of dog or cat, but are not sure what that would entail. Fostering allows you to discover the answers while saving a life. Although fostering is not a trial adoption period for that pet, many fosters end up adopting their rescue. At the very least, the fostering experience will help you try out changes for your current fur family.
Fostering makes a difference not only for the animal, but for the foster parent as well. Everyone benefits. A foster home provides a dog or cat who would have otherwise been put to death or struggling on the street with a chance at a new life. Without foster homes, these animals have no place to go. Caring for a foster, in turn, is a gratifying and rewarding experience. All of us at Big Hands Little Paws foster cats, dogs and, at times, even birds. From personal knowledge, we can tell you how special it is— You are directly saving a life and experiencing it firsthand.
So, the question is not why foster…it’s which one of our rescues do you want to foster?!
