Why Do You Foster?

When you hear the word “foster” what do you think of? HSNEGA interviewed some of our PAWesome fosters last week to learn more behind this powerful and selfless word.

“I foster because I want the animals to have a great start at life–to get to know that people can be good and loving, to get them used to being handled/loved, and to try to expose them to experiences that they might encounter in their adopted life.

Fostering is temporary. You can open your home for a short time and make such a difference in the life of a cat or dog. I have adopted two dogs (and a hamster!) in the past year and if I could I would bring home so many more! By fostering, I’m sharing all that my family has to offer to help that animal thrive and hopefully have a better life.” ~ Kathleen

“I foster because I’ve always loved animals and always wanted to help them. As a young girl, I would feed stray cats and try to save birds and rabbits stranded in my yard. I asked for a horse every Christmas even though we lived in a suburb of Chicago. I felt I could just keep it in the detached garage!

We fostered a puppy named Bae that we had to bottle feed. My husband and I fell in love with her. She would fall asleep on our chests listening to our heartbeats. Every dog we’ve fostered bonded with me almost immediately. It’s like they know you were their guardian angel. My husband can’t believe how attached they are to me. If I go upstairs, they will whine to be with me. When the garage door goes up, their tails start wagging and they meet me at the door.

I guess to simply put it, it feels good to be loved. I knew I wanted to foster because when I volunteered at the Gwinnett County Shelter and at the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia I didn’t want to leave. I wanted more than just a few moments with the dogs. I foster because I feel I make a difference in this world. I feel each foster animal is a life saved. When you are older and look back over your life, you can actually say, ‘I saved many animals and gave them the chance they deserved.'” ~ Beth

“[Fostering] gives me the opportunity to help animals rather than just donating money. My family and I all enjoy loving on animals that may have been neglected or sick and need time to heal. It’s SO rewarding to see the light and trust come back into their eyes.
My most rewarding experience was fostering Gregor (one of the Habersham puppy mill dogs, pictured above). He was absolutely petrified when we first started fostering him. His eyes were empty and I honestly wasn’t sure if I could help. I spent a lot of time laying on the floor with my hand in his open kennel where he would cower in the corner. Slowly, he started to come out of his corner. After a few months, his tail was curling up, he would come up and sniff me and he would prance around. He now has his forever home with two deacons who blessed him at the Blessing of Animals.

Even though the animal I fostered may not have been in danger of being ‘put down’, it opens up space for another animal that may be in danger. There are SO many animals in need. Helping one animal allows another a chance indirectly by opening space in the shelter. This is also a great way to see if you’d like to have an animal in your home full time. It’s rewarding to see these furbabies find their forever homes!” ~ Denise

“Our family decided to foster because we want to help dogs/puppies who need help getting a good start in life. We want to help a dog heal from the past, or heal from a medical procedure, maybe bottle feed puppies until they are old enough to eat food and be adopted, etc. until they are ready to go to their forever home. How wonderful to know that we helped save a life.

We have only fostered one dog so far. He was such a sweet fellow and got along well with our other dogs and cats. We enjoyed watching him as he slept in the sun on our deck and relaxed in the kitchen with our other pets. It’s rewarding to know that we made a difference in a dog’s life. It feels good to know that we helped provide a happy chapter in a dog’s life until he was ready to find his forever home.

Our family has rescued many animals such as horses, rabbits, dogs, kittens, and I think we have always known that our purpose is to help others. I would recommend fostering to anyone who wants to make a difference in someone’s life. If you love animals and have the time and space in your home, this is definitely something worthwhile. These animals need to be in a home with someone who is willing to love them completely and work with them in whatever their needs maybe.” ~ Sherry

If you are interested in making a difference in the life of a rescue, as a foster for HSNEGA, please visit HSNEGA.org/outreach/foster-family-volunteers! We’d love to have you as part of our life-saving family!