We do animal transports and when a puppy got sick during the trip, we ended up fostering him for about a month until he recovered. So we became "accidental" foster parents.
Yes, we became VERY attached to him. Nursing him back from a serious illness was a real bonding experience. It was terrifying at first, but once he turned the corner on the illness, for the last three weeks we got to enjoy a sweet, goofy little guy, and got all the puppy kisses we could ever want. (photo attached) But the best things about him were:
a) He was a lab mix, destined to be about 50 lbs
b) He was a puppy
Both of which ruled him out for a permanent place in our house. We have 3 small, adult dogs, and though they were able to deal with him as a puppy, he would have been a horrible match for them once he reaches adult size. Plus, it was winter time, which is a tough time to go through the housebreaking stuff.
So here is what I'd recommend. Go ahead and sign up to foster, but try to work it so that you only foster your least favorite breeds. It will be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do, but it will be much easier to say goodbye when they have been matched up with their new home. |