Welcome to YT. I agree with Gemy you are a good writer. I also picked up the vibes you suffer from depression. I may be wrong but, phrases like, 'saved my life' pop out to me. I hope you are feeling strong and healthy now.
Rescue is a wonderful thing, it can become the focus of your life, where almost every thought and action is about the dogs. I tend to get obsessive and very intense about it. I have to remind myself to go out to lunch, make doctor appointment for me and do things that are not about the dogs.
It took me a while to accept we could not save every dog. It can be heart breaking because, you learn how truly awful people can be. You won't be able to help and keep on rose colored glasses. Once I found balance, I was able to cry less and help more. People can be wonderful too.
Like one poster said, setting limits is important. You can not be as effective if you can't give the foster the time they need.
Money can be an issue. The place I worked with was always short of funds, often I was taking out of my own pocket, that is ok, if you again set limits.
There are many ways to help besides just fostering. Giving time, food, grooming service, money, answering phones, cleaning cages, working to create fund raisers, public speaking, brushing, walking and loving the animals.
Being a trainer that studies behavior of dogs has been very valuable in my foster experience. The more you know and can learn the better.
Honestly nothing in my life has been as rewarding as seeing a dog learn to trust people again, to see them become the loving happy creature they were born to be.
When I see them go to a wonderful forever home I feel really blessed and very humble.
__________________ Teresa & Rubin, Gracie, Abba, Ginny Joy and Julia Rose  Act like a dog, be kind, forgiving, and loyal. |