Permanent foster pup Piper gives the best kisses!
I’ve been involved in animal welfare for most of my adult life, and I can’t remember what specifically made me decide to foster. My first fostering experience was over 30 years ago, but that was short-lived as I was a renter who worked full time and it just wasn’t ideal. I waited until my husband and I were homeowners and I had more experience under my belt to resume fostering, and that was about 26 years ago. We have fostered dogs, puppies, mama cats with kittens, chickens, llamas, alpacas, a horse, and one time, a pig.
When I first started fostering, a lot of things surprised me. Mostly the lack of training provided, and the lack of guidance and resources.
Favorite fostering moments? With kitten litters, it’s pretty obvious: the cuteness and fun. With behavioral dogs, it’s watching them through a different lens in a home environment, permitting them to be dogs that know love, play, security, and comfort, and providing some behavior modification.
One of my most memorable fosters is Piper through Old Dog Haven. This tiny dog was taken to a shelter after being found in a duffel bag in a parking lot. Guessed to be 12 years old, Piper was in terrible shape. It was obvious she had been neglected for a very long time. She suffered from an uncomfortable skin condition that caused her to constantly itch and she had lost much of the hair on her body. She also had a hacking cough, dental disease, ear infections and arthritis in her legs. To call this little girl a mess would be an understatement! Piper had no way of knowing the day she was left in a duffel bag would be the start of her journey to a new and wonderful life.
We took Piper into our family, and through Old Dog Haven, Piper was given antibiotics to treat her cough and ear infections and then scheduled for dental and spay surgery. She would then see a wonderful dermatologist who did extensive testing to figure out how to treat Piper’s damaged skin.
Piper is now comfortable and enjoying her new life. Her hair has grown back in many places and her ears have been free from infections for six months now! She has regained her energy, and you would never guess this feisty little dog had been through so much hardship in her life. She is fearless, funny and spends quite a bit of time ordering me around. She loves to give kisses, and you will often find her basking in the sun, cuddling with a friend or accompanying me to Old Dog Haven outreach events.
As an Old Dog Haven Final Refuge dog, all of Piper’s veterinary care and medications will be covered for the rest of her life. Read more on Piper’s Story.
I would advise anyone considering fostering to research the shelter or group for whom they plan to foster and ask a lot of questions, to make sure they provide education and guidance as well as all the resources to do the job and do it well (everything from the basics to training and vet care). To make sure there is always an open line of communication should the animal(s) need anything urgently.
All images in this story are provided by the foster.
Tracy is the Foster Coordinator for the Kitsap area for Old Dog Haven. If you have a heart for senior dogs and are interested in permanently fostering one of their pets, please reach out. Learn More
This story is part of a larger project The Highs & Lows of Fostering Animals where fosters share their stories in their own words.
