Kieras Questions: What does it mean to foster?

Hello hoomans! Kiera the floof here to answer all your questions. In my very first episode im going to answer your questions about fostering. We've been blowing up our social media asking for volunteers and several have asked what that means.

We don't want to leave you hanging so please pardon my white floofiness as it sticks to your sweater and I help explain all this.

Foster volunteers allow homeless floofs of all sorts, dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes, to live in their homes and they treat them like family. This is super important to the success of adoption. Some homeless pets have had loving homes, so they understand things like boundaries, that they get fed regularly, that going potty is done outside only etc. Other homeless floofs have never had the luxury I've had. They get confused when leaving the shelter. At the shelter they didn't really get to explore much, walks were short, bedding is changed every day, they pottied wherever they were when they needed to go, and while many people clearly love them, they didn't have a core family of hoomans to spend all day, every day with. These floofs are wonderful pets in the making... fosters are the chance they get to be made into a wonderful pet. Many homeless pets, especially ones from a shelter (but not all!) need time to decompress and acclimate to the life of a happy, petted, fed, loved floof.

When a foster family steps in and takes on a dog, or cat, they give them this opportunity.

In general, the rescue world goes by the law of three. Three days, three weeks, three months, three treats.

Three days: New floofs are like "WHERE AM I WHAT IS HAPPENING I THINK EVERYTHING IS AWESOME BUT I'M NOT TOTALLY SURE!"

Three weeks: "Ok cool everything is awesome and these hoomans are awesome and I think maybe they want me here and I'm figuring it out and I think maybe I want to be here too and I'm starting to understand that I'm only allowed in the furniture when invited and that the hoomans don't want me to go through the trash and that if I wait nicely for my food I will get food literally every day and I'm starting to feel safe rolling in the grass and playing fetch with them and I think I'm gonna be ok......"

Three months: 'Hey. Things here are great. My hoomans and I are communicating on the same level and I am a loved family member. Now I'm going to go take a nap before dinner and a evening walk."

Three treats: Floofs are to be given three treats every day. Ok I made this one up.

Now not every floof needs all this time. Some need less, some need more, it's the foster familys job to figure that out. At Roscoe Rescues, we feel the majority of floofs need the whole 30 days to feel safe. Some will need more, some less, but the goal is to keep homeless floofs with their family until they're adopted. Sometimes this isn't possible and that is ok. Rehoming a floof from one foster to another happens. We simply ask that you hoomans are upfront and honest about what type of commitment you're able to make (at the time) so the RR team can match you with someone that best compliments your situation.

The most important part of the foster process is that during the time it takes doggos to decompress, the foster family has the time to really get to know the animal!

This means, when Joe Schmo applies to adopt Lucky the Dalmatian, but Joe and his son Poe spend their time taking road trips, hiking, and kayaking, Luckys foster family can let us know that Lucky gets car sick, is low key and his true love is naps in the sun. However! We have another foster family with a Dalmatian named Chucky who loves everyone and everything and is a road warrior. This gives Joe and Poe a better chance at a successful adoption and before you know it, Chucky is homeless no more!

If we're really lucky, Joe and Poe would be able to meet several Dalmatians that would work well with their lifestyle. You know how hoomans sometimes say, "the dog chose me"? That's the perfect situation! Us doggos are very intuitive and if Joe and Poe could meet a few dogs, we'd definitely have a happy tail on our hands =)

In order to make our adoptions a success we need you. We need foster families.

I hope this answers your questions about being a foster family. So please, spread the word, Roscoe Rescues is going to change the face of rescue, and you're going to be the reason why! Fill out an adoption application now and tell your friends and your mom and your server at your favorite local restaurant (Shop local!). We can't wait to have you!

Now I'm off to go sniff some stuff, I've sure been sitting here awhile and as a Siberian Husky I prefer to explore than sit still. I'll leave you with some food for thought.

If we all help a little, we can change a whole lot.

Love,

Kiera <3