Appeal from PINS - Podencos In Need Scotland.
'Fostering! Always a tricky subject. We have many regular Fosterers who do a wonderful job over and over again, and we're very aware that some of these dogs (or all of them) will take a little bit of their foster parent's heart away with them when they move to their forever home. Some people find it so upsetting that they don't feel they can do it again, or they have to take a long break to get over the heartbreak. But we ask you all to try and detach a bit of your brain from the trauma of them leaving and use it to congratulate yourself on a job well done and a life saved.
Fosterers are an absolute essential part of the journey for many dogs, and without you, they may languish in a shelter for years.
Families with young children for instance, PINS always match them with a dog already in foster so that we know a lot more about the dog's personality and suitability, and so that the whole family can meet the dog first. Less experienced applicants, who we might not approve to take a dog straight off the Happy Van, can be matched with a dog who is more of a known quantity because they have been assessed in foster. Dogs who are extremely timid or have other known issues particularly need one of our experienced Fosterers to be the stepping stone they need to learn how to adapt to sofa life.
Dogs who are in Spain, someplace where it is difficult to get decent photos or informative updates almost never get home offers as they don't get the exposure to attract people's attention, having them in the UK in a foster home allows us to share frequent photos/videos and updates on their progress in order to catch the eye of their soulmate family.
We can't stress enough just how valuable our foster team are and thank them enough for the amazing, selfless job they do.
For those who have found it too hard to do it again, we understand, really we do, there have been many tears shed over the "ones that got away", but believe me when I say that seeing them settle into a home where they are loved and knowing you were part of that process, is the most wonderful feeling, and waiting for the Happy Van to deliver a scared, tired, smelly little scrap to your door so you can start the process again is a feeling that's priceless. That is the antidote to the sadness.
Please consider being part of the journey, we need more heroes
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