This will be a regular session of this blog in which our fosters will share their experience. If you have fostered for us and would like to let people know your experience send me an email. This is to thank you all of you who are fostering for us: without you we will not exist. This is also to share with the people out there this experience. So many time I am told “I could never foster as I would get too attached” or ” I would like to help but I don’t have time”.Fostering is not always easy but it is probably one of the most rewarding part of what we do. Ask the people who are at foster number 65!  The hope is more people reading this blog will decide to open their home to this wonderful and rewarding adventure. Saving a life is worth the few minutes of sadness!

Kiara, my “foster flunk” (yes sometime, at the right time, the right thing to do is to adopt your foster) with foster puppy Wren. Old grandpa Oliver in the background.

Jenny was Guinness foster home and this was her first experience as a foster. This is what she had to say.

“Being a dog lover, my husband and I decided to foster for Labrador Friends of the South. We insisted on a puppy, as we have a Golden Retriever that is the world’s BEST teacher, and a Shih Tzu that wouldn’t feel over powered by another big dog. We thought we had thought about everything. We thought about how we were saving a life, how much fun it would be to take the new puppy on walks, and watching him learn how to be a great dog through our dogs. We had thought about where he’d sleep, what food he’d eat and waking us up in the middle of the night for potty breaks. We had thought about not leaving shoes lying around as chew toys, making sure there were enough antler ears for everyone, and plenty of other toys for the new puppy.

What we hadn’t thought about was the love we would come to feel for Guinness – yes, we named the new puppy Guinness and we toasted his arrival. He was a joy and immediately became a part of our family. But, we kept telling ourselves, this is his temporary home. We are fostering him until we can find a loving family for him.

That day came about 3 weeks later and it was so bitter sweet. I cried the night before the adoption and the entire way to the adoption meeting spot. But, when we arrived, I was greeted by the sweetest couple with another amazing puppy, and Guinness and their dog began playing instantly. My tears dried up as I watched them play, play, play, play, play. I remembered thinking to myself how much I loved Guinness and wanted to make sure he ended up with a good family. He did!

Fostering is such an amazing, rewarding experience. Yes, we cried. But, we saved a life! We would rather cry saving a life, than cry losing a life any day of the year. We’re waiting on our next Foster to join us in our home and bring us tears of joy once again! “