What got you interested in fostering?
We had retired and moved to a new county and community. Except for our livestock guardian dogs, all of our pets since 1981 (our marriage) have been rescues. Rather than just settle with another rescue, we decided this was a perfect opportunity to start fostering rescues. In hindsight, we realize how very fortunate we were to have become fosters with CARE. They were totally supportive of our learning the ins-and-outs of policies and procedures (really not complicated and mostly common sense) and were always available for assistance. While Covid curtailed interactions with other fosters, today there are a number of opportunities (and fun ones at that!) to get together while supporting the mission of CARE at the same time.
What kind of support do you receive from CARE?
Total support in every way. A friend in Florida fosters and takes care of a huge feral colony. She personally pays $80/week on cat food for the colony. Her agency only arranges spay/neuter services. She also pays for a trapper!
What’s your favorite aspect about fostering? Why do you do it?
Love!
What advice would you give to someone considering foster caregiving?
Know up front this will require commitment of time, energy, and caring love.