Do you want to help alleviate pet overpopulation, but find yourself unable to make a lifetime commitment to a dog? Perhaps you're considering permanent adoption, but aren't sure you're ready for the responsibility just yet.
Well perhaps becoming a doggy foster parent is for you! Fostering is a much-needed service, and a great way to test-drive dog guardianship and assess what energy-level, age, and breed of dog matches your lifestyle.
A foster home is a temporary home for dogs staying in a rescue or shelter. Foster homes play an important role in making dogs adoptable, by providing them with socialization, food, exercise, basic training, and companionship. As the pet's guardian, you must also keep an eye on the animal's health. Most foster programs will pay for veterinary costs. Some even cover the cost of food, grooming, and other equipment; others expect you to take on these expenses.
You can also use your understanding of dog psychology to help the dog overcome behavior issues. And should you need further help, many foster programs provide training assistance. As a foster parent, you also help ensure that the dog gets a good match when she is finally placed, by making potential adopters aware of any behavioral issues or special needs the dog may have.
So why not contact your local shelter or rescue group to find out how your home can become a foster home?
For more ways to help dogs in need, visit the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation web site. The non-profit organization was founded to aid and support the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of abused and abandoned dogs.
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