What, Why, How...?

ARF rescues dogs and cats that are least likely to survive the shelter environment and places them in foster homes. There are many reasons why animals end up in the shelters; the previous guardians moved away and abandoned or surrendered them, they are born to an unspayed animal or to a stray and turned into the shelter, they are found on highways, in dumpsters, on doorsteps, in vacant lots, or injured on the side of a road.

Choosing to be a foster parent is a serious undertaking. It will change your routine and your own companion animals will need to be okay with it. Many people faced with homeless animals tell themselves, "It's not my problem", "It's not my fault", "It's so sad, but there's nothing I can do". Well, fortunately, there is something you can do without making a lifetime commitment.

So why in the world would any sane human being volunteer to be a foster parent for an animal that isn't their responsibility? Why would someone take on that responsibility? Why would anyone want to give up their spare bedroom, bathroom, laundry room, etc. and take on responsibility for a pet they will eventually place in someone else's home?

People who choose to foster do so because they know that if they don't step up to the plate, the fate of these animals is either sub-par living conditions or death. They feel good knowing they are making a difference, every minute and every day, in the life of an innocent soul; that a few months of inconvenience turns quickly into a rewarding, educational, challenging, and fun experience they will never forget. While it's true that fosters do get very attached to their animals, they also find a special joy in sending a pet to a wonderful new family.

Many families foster as a way to teach their children about compassion and responsibility in a creative and collaborative way. We have had parent-child partnerships take on nursing bottle babies or moms with litters, as a tag-team effort with joyous results. Parents who homeschool have also found that fostering is a great teaching endeavor for their family.