# For the Love of Fosters



## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

My rescue is starting a new column in their semi-annual NeWooos letter, and I'm part of the committee (of two) in charge of coming up with topics. 

The other coordinator wrote a nice (or rather sad) article for the other rescue she's active with, and we don't want to use it right away for our new column...however, it will probably get reused eventually. Its about a dog who was one of the "over looked" that didn't make it into a home or rescue fast enough...it was really well done and a touching way to try to get people more involved with helping out with the rescue...

Right now though, I was wondering if anyone else has written or read an article about fostering that really interested them. We already have a "highlighted foster" section for the lucky foster who gets their own column, but now we have this whole new area to put something that might encourage more participation from our current fosters or from people who might want to foster. 

Any ideas or suggestions would be extremely helpful. The next newsletter won't go out until march/april time, so plenty of time to brainstorm ideas.


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

I'm going to bump this instead of making a new thread. So far, some of the ideas I've had are: 10 Reasons to Foster, Foster Tails: Why we do it (stories from our current fosters), and How to be a Great Foster Parent

Still looking for more ideas, though.


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## melaka (Mar 31, 2010)

How about something that shoots down misconceptions about why someone can't foster. Like, common excuses for not fostering and why they may not be barriers to fostering after all.


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

Hm, that's a good one, but it will be tricky to not offend someone...I'll have to think of a fun way to word it, but that might work  Thanks


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Have you heard/read that longer poem/story about fostering? I think it's called "My foster dog"? That touched me when I read it, and very little does. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I can pull it up for you.


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

I'd like to see it. I don't think I've come across it yet.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

"My Foster Dog
by Unknown Author 

My foster dog stinks to high heaven.
I don't know for sure what breed he is.
His eyes are blank and hard. 
He won't let me pet him and growls when I reach for him.

He has ragged scars and crusty sores on his skin.
His nails are long and his teeth, which he showed me, are stained.
I sigh. I drove two hours for this.

I carefully maneuver him so that I can stuff him in the crate.
Then I heft the crate and put it in the car.
I am going home with my new foster dog.

At home I leave him in the crate till all the other dogs are in the yard. 
I get him out of the crate and ask him if he wants "outside." 
As I lead him to the door he hikes his leg on the wall and shows me his stained teeth again. 

When we come in, he goes to the crate because that's the only safe place he sees.
I offer him food but he won't eat it if I look at him, so I turn my back.
When I come back, the food is gone.

I ask again about "outside."
When we come back, I pat him before I let him in the crate,
he jerks away and runs into the crate to show me his teeth.

The next day I decide I can't stand the stink any longer.
I lead him into the bath with cheese in my hands.
His fear of me is not quite overcome by his longing for the cheese. 
And well he should fear me, for I will give him a bath. 

After an attempt or two to bail out he is defeated and stands there. 
I have bathed four legged bath squirters for more years than he has been alive. 
His only defense was a show of his stained teeth, 
that did not hold up to a face full of water. 

As I wash him, it is almost as if I wash not only the stink and dirt away
but also some of the hardness.
His eyes look full of sadness now.
And he looks completely pitiful as only a soap covered dog can.

I tell him that he will! feel better when he is cleaned.
After the soap, the towels are not too bad, so he lets me rub him dry.

I take him outside. He runs for joy.
The joy of not being in the tub and the joy of being clean.

I, the bath giver, am allowed to share the joy.
He comes to me and lets me pet him.

One week later I have a vet bill.
His skin is healing. He likes for me to pet him. I think.
I know what color he will be when his hair grows in.

I have found out he is terrified of other dogs.
So I carefully introduce him to my mildest four legged brat. 
It doesn't go well.

Two weeks later a new vet bill for an infection, that was missed on the first visit. 
He plays with the other dogs.

Three weeks later his coat shines, he has gained weight.
He shows his clean teeth when his tongue lolls out
after he plays chase in the yard with the gang.

His eyes are soft and filled with life.
He loves hugs and likes to show off his tricks, if you have the cheese.

Someone called today and asked about him,
they saw the picture I took the first week.
They asked about his personality, his history, his breed. 
They asked if he was pretty. I asked them lots of questions. 

I checked up on them.
I prayed.
I said yes.

When they saw him the first time they said
he was the most beautiful dog they had ever seen.

Six months later, I got a call from his new family.
He is wonderful, smart, well behaved, and very loving.

How could someone not want him?
I told them I didn't know.
He is beautiful.
They all are "


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

That's really sweet. Thanks for posting it!


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

No problem!


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## Shandwill (Jul 23, 2010)

You may have already found this site in your research/brainstorming: http://www.fosterdogs.com/index.html When we began thinking about fostering, this site was very helpful and had lots of great links including info about state laws that impact fostering. I particularly liked the section on what fostering is NOT. It included the most moving piece of writing called "Little Pieces" by Grace Saalsaa. I also love "A Foster Dog Poem" by Diane Morgan.


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## Jo Belle (Jul 7, 2010)

This is beautiful.


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

Thanks for the link! This has been really helpful. I have quite a few good ideas now. The hard part will be narrowing it down and deciding what should go first.


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