By fostering an animal, you’re agreeing to love and care for them temporarily to improve their quality of life. An animal will live with you whilst they await permanent rehoming to minimise their stay in an animal shelter.
You should be prepared that sometimes animals who have been rescued from abuse or neglect may have behavioural issues, but the shelter responsible for the animal can provide advice and training on how to care for them. There’s also no need to worry about what fostering will cost you, as things like food and vets bills are usually taken care of by the respective animal charity.
It’s usually a mid to long-term commitment, as you could be fostering or boarding an animal for an extended period of time whilst a permanent home is found.
Spending quality time with an animal who needs your help can be highly rewarding. There’s often a real tangible sense of satisfaction from seeing the impact you can have on their day-to-day wellbeing.
In fact, one of the most difficult things can be preparing to say goodbye when the charity manage to find a new, permanent home for an animal that you have cared for. Many people are unwilling to go through this, which is all the more reason why there’s such a need for volunteers who are prepared to love unconditionally, and then let them leave.
If you think you can help show an animal another chance in life, a good starting point would be the charity Dog’s Trust which offers many different fostering opportunities.