We firmly and completely believe that it takes a really special person/family to foster pets. To open your heart and your home knowing that you will say goodbye again is one of the bravest things a person can do.
That said fostering is a critical element of the support we provide here at Rosie’s Trust and therefore it is equally critical that we have a team of foster carers ready and willing to help us.
First things first – we provide extensive training, we will always know the pet well before we ask you to take them into your home, we cover all expenses, we provide every foster carer with a foster kit (bed, bowls, brush, toys etc) and we support you the entire time.
Now, there is no point in sugar coating this – fostering can be hard. The dogs we support have been through a series of significant changes in their lives and even the most relaxed dog will find that challenging. Dogs might be audibly upset at times, they may struggle to be alone (many of the dogs we support are rarely if ever alone), they may not eat, they may retreat into themselves – the list is endless BUT ultimately they are dogs who are loved and treasured who just need help.
Before we ask you to foster we will provide you with extensive training in all aspects of fostering. Our training is delivered via Zoom and will cover everything from communicating with your foster pet, understanding their communication towards you, how the foster process works, how to prepare your home, how to react/act in certain situations. We will ensure you know where to find support and what you can expect from us.
Fostering is many things but above all it is the opportunity to provide the people we support with the peace of mind they need in order to focus on their health and recovery while providing the pets with what we refer to as ‘the best holiday they will ever have’.
Fostering is utterly fascinating – watching the pet adjust, being there while they work out how their new albeit temporary world works and where they fit into it, watching them interact with new people and maybe even other animals, being there when they start to adapt, watching them slowly come to life when they realise they are safe and cared for, experiencing them going from almost ‘sleeping with one eye open’ but progressing to ‘out for the count on their backs snoring contentedly’.
The foster journey is a joy to be a part of – one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences any pet lover could have.
If you think being a foster carer could be for you we would love to hear from you – you can submit an application in the ‘Volunteer’ section of the website or fill out the form on the ‘Contact’ page and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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