Facts on Fostering If you have always wanted to do something about the horrific euthanasia rate at the shelters, but have not felt you were ready for a dog full time, fostering a giant with West Coast Mastiff and Large Breed Rescue (WCM) presents an opportunity to save lives on an ongoing basis. A foster home is a safe haven for a rescued dog. It is the most crucial yet most scarce ingredient in canine rescue. The more available foster homes there are, the more giants we are able to rescue. For the giants in animal control facilities, a shortage of space means death. Briefly, the responsibilities of doggie foster care are to provide a safe, secure, stable environment and, most importantly, the love needed to nurture those giants back to their happy, healthy selves. Some giants require special care, such as post medical attention, increasing weight or strength, socializing, building trust, exercise...and fun. Some giants just require you. A foster home could be short-term and some times long term, if not forever, depending on the situation. We are looking for those good folks that can provide a safe haven for a rescued giant and are not out for a quick fix just in case it takes longer then what anyone would consider normal. Keep in mind we do not take in aggression cases to be dealt with. We are strictly talking older giants that don't get adopted as quick or giants with medical issues that need time to heal.
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WCM always tries to find their rescues a foster home. Not only does fostering provide a healthier atmosphere for the dog, but helps us get to know the dog. This information becomes key to finding just the right home for their personality. Many giants end up in the shelter system for no other reason than being the wrong "type" of dog for their owner. Many people adopt/buy their giant dog based solely on appearance rather than taking into account giant's temperament, size and personality. We feel that foster care allows us to get to know these giants, discover their quirks and then better match them to the right human family. Besides this very practical reason for promoting foster care, ask any foster volunteer and they will tell you how rewarding it can be. These are some of the facts of fostering with WCM: - The Commitment
Emotional: It takes a very special person to open their hearts to one of these giants, to love and nurture them for a period of time, and then give them up when their new permanent home is found.
Financial: The foster family is expected to provide necessary medical care. WCM will help pay for this medical care under specific circumstances. Any treatment must first be approved by the WCM board. This is so we know what we are up against in the way of costs ahead of time. A decision can not be made without board approval and there is always a board member on hand in case of emergencies. All rescues must be taken to a hospital that is approved in the potential foster's area - and there always is a place to go. If a foster needs to pay out of pocket expenses and all has been pre-approved by the board, WCM will reimburse the foster based on the treatment receipts. If a potential foster home creates a situation, thus requiring special medical attention, that will NOT be covered by rescue. It is up to a foster home to protect all giants from getting into harm's way when they are in their care. Time:.We ask that you have patience and courage as all the giants have different needs and we can never know how much time they need in rescue. Sometimes it's a short period of time and sometimes its a lot longer depending on the need. If you can handle the responsibility of a giant, the time you have makes a huge difference in saving a life." Believe me when we say, time does fly once you have to give them up and they have already won your heart; then you see that time is all relative. - What Fostering Is Not
Fostering is not a trial period before adoption. And it certainly isn't easy. Fostering is a way to help a giant that really needs you. At times, it's incredibly stressful. It requires dedication, hard work, serious time commitments, lots of stain remover, and -- above all -- an understanding of the purpose of the process. - Application to Foster
Just go to our volunteer application and make sure to check the “foster” box. Click here to fill out our volunteer application. - Agreement to Foster
All foster families are asked to read and sign our Agreement to Foster. This delineates the responsibilities of both WCM and those of the foster home. - Home Check
As with our adoption process, we also do a home check. If it is a house, we look for a safe environment such as a fenced yard. If you live in an apartment please remember many giants do very well in an apartment. However, time does become a factor for apartment dwellers and fostering should only be considered if your schedule allows enough time to take the giant out on a regular schedule. - Emotional Support & Socialization
We ask that you give your foster the emotional support necessary to help them transition through this phase. Often this involves helping to socialize them, making them feel more secure and good about themselves. In short, we ask that your foster becomes part of your family. However, because there can be liability considerations, we ask that you not take your foster dog out in public without first talking it over with a WCM board member. - Reporting Personality Observations/Medical Issues information to us
Help us update your foster giant’s bio with information such as: Are they housebroken? OK with cats? Likes other dogs or prefers to be an only dog? The more we get to know about the rescue dog through the observations of the foster parent, the better the chance of a successful forever home. Click here to see <<Tips for Evaluating and Training a Foster dog>> - Help, I’ve fallen in love!
Fosters have input into the placement of their foster dog. We would never accept an application for a dog who is fostered without first discussing the placement with their foster. - Congratulate yourself
It is easy to say “I want to help” or “I’d like to take them all” but by taking ONE needy giant into your home, you are making the difference between life and death. Your commitment creates a space for us to take another giant out of the shelter. Thank you.
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