It’s Mother’s Day, and we want to give a special shout-out to all the mum’s out there. BUT, very special to us, are our wonderful foster mum’s, without who we wouldn’t be able to help as many hounds as we do.
A dog may need to go into foster for a number of reasons; they may be very young, or old and not be able to cope in a kennel environment. They may be recuperating from injury and illness and need extra care, or they may have only ever known life in kennels and need a little extra support to help them transition to a home environment.
We spoke to one of our amazing foster mum’s, Caro who has always been ready to take in a hound in need at the drop of a hat, which was the case with her last foster Bhuna, pictured below. She told us all about fostering – make sure you read the whole story!
Why do you foster?
I have loved sighthounds ever since I “ended up” with a greyhound that had belonged to my first landlady around 22 years ago, I really didn’t know much about greyhounds and so approached the charity for help and advice, and the rest they say, is history!
I have fostered a few dogs over the last 15 years or so. A foster placement can really help Forever Hounds Trust to get to know how a dog will react in a home and so you can be part of the assessment and rehabilitation of that individual. The pressure on rescue charities has always been so great, and so it is very likely that if you have the capacity to foster you may release a kennel space for a dog whose future would sadly most likely not be assured otherwise. A foster home is another step on the pathway to a dog finding their forever home and it is a privilege to be part of that journey.
What’s it like to be a foster mum?
Well you need to brace yourself, as you are bound to become fond of the dog and it can be tough waving them off to their forever home (unless you end up adopting them of course!). Some dogs can be mentally or physically in a bad place when they come into the rescue and some have been in a loving home, but due to sad circumstances need to be rehomed and so as a foster mum you need to be flexible and allow the dog to decompress and take little steps at first. You are given support by the behavioural team who guide you to look after your foster.
What does it involve, being a foster mum?
Preparation is key, so you need to make sure your garden is secure and everything in your environment is dog ready (in my case I had to make sure I had enough fleeces to cover the sofa – greyhounds are greyt sofa loafers!) Many rescue hounds seem to gravitate towards food, so you have to make sure to keep all food out of the way at first (their noses are at kitchen counter height!)
Personally, I have found it very helpful to keep a journal – just a few lines daily, making a note of how the dog is getting on, what you are doing with them and how they are responding. It is useful information for the behavioural team if there are aspects the dog is struggling with, and it is great to be able to look back at the progress they are making.
The foster dog arrives with all basic equipment:- harness, lead, muzzle, coats, bowls, grooming kit and some food. The vets bills are covered by the charity while the dog is with you as a foster.
What benefits are there for the fosterer and the dog?
Being a foster mum enables you to be part of the dog’s assessment and rehabilitation and ultimately be another rung on the ladder to this individual dog getting their very own forever home, which is very heart-warming. Some dogs come into rescue from circumstances where they may not have been physically and/or emotionally treated very well and some have never lived in a home environment before. As a foster mum you can introduce the foster to household equipment e.g. washing machines, vacuum cleaner etc in a gentle way. You teach them how to be clean in the home, that people are okay to be around and the world doesn’t have to be a scary sad place. Instead, that there is a bright future involving soft beds, regular meals, treats, toys, adventures and love.
Anything else you would like to add?
Bhuna came to me as a foster just before Christmas last year – having been without dogs for nearly a year, this was strictly on a foster basis.
I confess – I am a dreadful foster mum – I have failed horribly and I am no longer going to be fostering Bhu (Bhuna).
Instead I have adopted her – she is the most loving, bright, funny quirky, adorable hound and she has lodged herself firmly into my heart and even more firmly onto my sofa forever!
If Caro’s article has inspired you to foster, please click here to find out more. You too could be a lifeline for a hound in need when they need it the most.
Happy Homing Story – Flossie