Anyone ever foster an animal?

• justincredible

  

  My wife and I have joined a Schnauzer rescue organization and got our first foster today. We already have two dogs so it will probably be hectic for a while but it seems like it should be a pretty cool way to help out.
  
  Anyway, here's Desi. He's 8 1/2 years old. His previous owner died and her husband didn't want the dog so he just gave him up. The dog was "lost" but we wonder if the husband didn't just say "fuck it" and let him loose.
  
  
• ernest_t_bass

  

  no
• LJ

  

  My parents did once about 8 years ago. He still lives with them :laugh:
• ernest_t_bass

  

  What's the difference b/t fostering and adopting?
• LJ

  

  ernest_t_bass;1419673 wrote:What's the difference b/t fostering and adopting?

  You are supposed to give the dog a calm place to live while finding them a "forever home".
• Heretic

  

  ernest_t_bass;1419673 wrote:What's the difference b/t fostering and adopting?

  I'd guess it's not a permanent thing. With the way a lot of shelters are full, it's probably an alternate to putting animals down, where a person (or family) takes care of them, but they're still looking for a permanent owner for them.
• justincredible

  

  Yeah, we are just a temporary home so he doesn't have to stay in a shelter.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  ernest_t_bass;1419673 wrote:What's the difference b/t fostering and adopting?

  You serious with this question?
• Commander of Awesome

  

  I volunteered at an animal shelter throughout HS and some in college. Unless its a puppy/kitten chances are the animal will be staying with you indefinitely or until you say something.
• robj55

  

  That's a good deed, more people should think about doing things like this. Props to you.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  DeyDurkie5;1419679 wrote:You serious with this question?

  Um... no.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  I've ruined any chances (probably) of ever doing anything like this. We got a shelter dog about 1.5 years ago. It was a terrible, terrible dog, so we ended up taking it back. They weren't too pleased, but the dog was a stupid fuck.
• justincredible

  

  Commander of Awesome;1419680 wrote:I volunteered at an animal shelter throughout HS and some in college. Unless its a puppy/kitten chances are the animal will be staying with you indefinitely or until you say something.

  Yeah, and we're fine with keeping him forever if need be.
  

  robj55;1419683 wrote:That's a good deed, more people should think about doing things like this. Props to you.

  Thanks.
• dlazz

  I've actually never heard of fostering an animal, but I'm not shocked that it exists. It would suck to get attached to an animal and then have to give it up.
  
  I adopted my cat.
  
  Hope this helps.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  justincredible;1419705 wrote:Yeah, and we're fine with keeping him forever if need be.

  Would rep again if I could.
• Fab4Runner

  

  I would love to do this someday. My mom rescued my dog. He was with a woman who purchased him and his sister from a puppy mill-esque breeder who was selling them at a flea market. He was lucky in that her rescue was at her home in the country. He had plenty of room to run and play.
  
  If I have a house/yard big enough I definitely hope to foster.
• BR1986FB

  Very cool. Would do it myself if we didn't already have a zoo.
  
  Dumb beeotch down the street thought she was "Ms Generous" by fostering two kittens. Dumbass let them run loose outside and they both got hit in the street. The speed limit is 25 mph on our street. She may be the worst pet owner ever but I digress.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  BR1986FB;1419746 wrote:Very cool. Would do it myself if we didn't already have a zoo.
  
  Dumb beeotch down the street thought she was "Ms Generous" by fostering two kittens. Dumbass let them run loose outside and they both got hit in the street. The speed limit is 25 mph on our street. She may be the worst pet owner ever but I digress.

  There's a special layer of hell for ppl like that.
• BR1986FB

  Commander of Awesome;1419749 wrote:There's a special layer of hell for ppl like that.

  Yep. Soon as her puppies/kittens grow out of the "cute/cuddly" stage they are put out in the street to fend for themselves. Real piece of work, that one.
• KR1245

  

  dlazz;1419730 wrote:I've actually never heard of fostering an animal, but I'm not shocked that it exists. It would suck to get attached to an animal and then have to give it up.
  
  I adopted my cat.
  
  Hope this helps.

  We have it a couple times and this is the hardest part.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  BR1986FB;1419753 wrote:Yep. Soon as her puppies/kittens grow out of the "cute/cuddly" stage they are put out in the street to fend for themselves. Real piece of work, that one.

  My puppy is outside on his own, fending for himself... but I have a fenced in backyard, so...
• Heretic

  

  Fab4Runner;1419740 wrote:I would love to do this someday. My mom rescued my dog. He was with a woman who purchased him and his sister from a puppy mill-esque breeder who was selling them at a flea market. He was lucky in that her rescue was at her home in the country. He had plenty of room to run and play.
  
  If I have a house/yard big enough I definitely hope to foster.

  Yeah, I would, too. But I rent and the yard area isn't fenced in and it is a reasonably busy road...at least for a rural area. But down the road, if I'm living somewhere a bit more accommodating, this is something I'd be wanting to do.
• BR1986FB

  ernest_t_bass;1419782 wrote:My puppy is outside on his own, fending for himself... but I have a fenced in backyard, so...

  Big difference...she doesn't.
• hasbeen

  

  I couldn't do this. I'd end up with 12 dogs because I wouldn't want to get rid of them.
• Belly35

  

  The beginning of pet entitlement programs :laugh:
  
  That is really cool .. The wife is forever calling me to meet her some place because there a dog that is wondering around lost. We have picked up 10 or 12 over the years, run adds, post picture, contact warden and dog shelter we have been very lucky never had to keep any of them away found the owner or a good home. We don't do this anymore don't want to push my luck.