Foster

Foster homes are the foundation of a great rescue. Foster families significantly increase the number of dogs a rescue is able to save.

The overall goal of being a foster parent is to house and prepare your foster dog for his/her forever family by making him/her as adoptable as possible!

Foster responsibilities include:

Feeding and care
- Many dogs are malnourished after being rescued. They need proper care to help them become the healthiest and strongest versions of themselves.
- We provide food, vetting, crates, and other supplies if you need them!
Human and animal socialization
- It's common for rescue dogs to be timid and shy towards people and other animals.
- Gradual exposure to new experiences will help eliminate the fear your foster dog feels towards situations he/she may not be comfortable with.
- With your help, your foster dog will learn to love people and other animals. Soon your foster dog will blossom into a friendly companion!
Leash training
- Being able to walk on a leash is a skill most adopters look for in a dog. Many dogs that find their way into shelters have not been trained to do so.
- Helping your foster dog master this skill will allow him/her to accompany his/her people on adventures outside the home!
Personality assessment
- Because you'll be living with your foster dog, it makes sense that you will know the dog better than anyone else.
- With this insight, you will be able to help determine whether or not your foster dog will make a great match for potential families!
Unconditional love!
- It's likely that your foster dog has had a less than ideal life thus far. Show your foster dog that humans can be great and loving despite their past experiences by giving the unconditional love that they deserve!

Fostering is a great option for dog lovers that cannot commit to a full-time pet. If you are interested in fostering for Rompin Paws Rescue, please contact us with any questions or inquires at rompinpawsrescue@gmail.com.

The first step in becoming a foster is filling out the online application!

Here is a link to the application:

http://rompinpawsrescue.rescuegroups.org/forms/form_humanverify?formid=3981

FOSTER EXPERIENCES:

Our fosters were asked: What about fostering do you love most?

"I love saving the helpless. I get to watch them come out of their shells, and give and get love for the first time in their lives in many cases."

-Teresa, foster

"Watching a rescue dog experience compassion for the first time and begin to trust people again is what I love most about fostering. I'm also a college student and own one dog. I am unable to afford two dogs and my dog LOVES the company of my fosters."

-Taylor, foster

"After losing our sweet 15 year old basset Rufus in February, I found myself gutted and alone during the day as a virtual employee with kids at school. We all agreed it felt too soon to get another dog, but I've always wondered about fostering and wanted the companionship, and a bit of distraction, during the day. Enter Belle and Lulu- two sad mommas, 8 and 5, who had been at Rompin Paws for more than 5 months after escaping deplorable previous conditions.

The kids had been prepped-- at 12, 9 and 5, we were just as worried about their behavior with strange dogs as we were about them getting attached and sad when the pups were adopted. But a few simple rules guided us-

1. These dogs did not choose nor deserve what was handed them. And as loving as Rompin Paws is, every dog deserves a vacation from the shelter environment to experience family and socialization.

2. Being with our family, crazy as we may be, will make these dogs more adoptable- we are their practice with a family, in a home, with kids of varying ages. That's our job and our good work.

3. During their foster vacation, we get to know the dogs in a more individual way- and can provide Rompin Paws with a better description and real-life photos which breathe life into their profiles online.

4. Pulling a dog from Rompin Paws into foster opens a spot to save another dog that RP can rescue!

When Belle and Lulu first arrived, neither would get near my husband or my youngest kid. Lulu in particular seemed moody and sad, and had her tail tucked a lot. But over a few days, and with a consistent routine, and some treat motivation from the kids, they both started to blossom. Belle decided she loved to roll against my sons curls and revealed her ability to hoard socks in her bed. Lulu lost a couple pounds with daily walks, her energy and her tail perked up and a sparkle hit her eyes. Watching them both bloom in our care was obvious and moving.

So now, a year and 6 foster pups later, we're hooked. We've shed some tears saying goodbye, but the kids realize the good they've done and we all feel a strong sense of purpose. And we "foster failed" on Lulu - cause that sparkle hooked us in the best way. Now she and our other foster fail Oskar are part of our foster vacation staff. For any dog lover, give it a try. Fostering is fun and rewarding- you can give a homeless pup the love and fun of a family and a break from the chaos of a shelter for a short vacation or a longer stay. I'm happy to talk with anyone about our experience- feel free to contact me through Rompin Paws.

Woof!"

-Laurie Zettler and family, foster