Fostering a stray is one of the most selfless things any animal lover can do. Of course, it’s nice to have your own pet. But when you foster, you can make sure that you take care of an animal that doesn’t have the luxury of being in a better home for a while.
Even if you already have a pet, you can still foster. But in that case, you need to make sure your pets can accept another animal in your home. But if your house is pet-free, it can be even easier to foster. In either case, you need to know that fostering is a big commitment, and you shouldn’t do it unless you have the time and patience for it.
Depending on your experience with animals, and on what you are comfortable with, there are a few kinds of fostering. You can choose cats, dogs, young animals, or even animals that have special medical needs. Shelters usually offer orientation and support for the foster parents who need it. And, the financial costs are at least partially covered by the shelters.
While you foster, you will be able to go about your life, but you will never know exactly for how long you will be fostering. So, you need to be prepared to postpone some plans. Plus, there is more to fostering than offering housing and food. You might need to train them, and take care of other issues. It’s recommended that you don’t adopt a pet that you are fostering, as that might set a precedent that justifies your wanting to adopt every pet that you foster.