years ago.
Gayl Leichner
I started volunteering and fostering at Oklahoma City Animal Shelter in March of 1998. Twenty-eight years later, I know I’ve fostered hundreds of cats and dogs, but I don’t remember the majority of them. Once I see that they have gone to a good home, it’s as if my brain can let them go. Many of these pets were in precarious situations: on a euthanasia list, in a severe medical condition or from cruelty situations.
When I am able to find a good adopter — either via my friends, posting them on social media or by taking them to shelter events — it allows me to let that foster go and move on to the next one. I currently keep my own pets limited to two dogs and two cats, which is the maximum I can care for, and I know I can’t adopt any more permanently. This helps when I foster, knowing that however long it takes, they won’t be here permanently. That’s not to say I have not adopted some of my fosters in those 28 years. From my fosters, I’ve adopted seven dogs and four cats.
If you have a space open for another pet in your home, fostering is the best way to find a dog or cat to fill that space. I knew those 11 adoptees were perfect fits after having them in my home, getting to know their personalities and seeing how they fit in with the other pets I had at the time.
I remember many of the fosters who have passed through my home. Jake had distemper, but there was no testing at that time to confirm the disease. I took over his fostering from another foster parent. He showed the classic distemper symptoms but survived the disease. I adopted him, and though he had lingering effects of the disease, he lived to be 14. Another foster had to have a leg amputated. He recovered at my house and got a wonderful home. Edwin was on the euthanasia list to make space at the shelter. I fostered him, and someone in Michigan saw him on social media and drove to OKC to adopt him.
Maize was found in an apartment. She had been left behind when her owner left. Maize spent over a month in the apartment without food or water. She weighed 28 pounds, and her organs were shutting down when animal control officers brought her into the shelter. I fostered her until she was healthy enough to be adopted. A friend adopted her, and she now weighs 70 pounds and is in a wonderful home for the rest of her life.
Fostering is a rewarding endeavor. Give it a try. Start with a smaller dog or some kittens or a cat. A mother cat with kittens is an easy foster as the mom takes care of the kittens for you. Once you get the fostering routine down and see them get adopted, you’ll be ready to move on to the next foster pet.
