Why We Love Fostering
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* Foster pets are highly effective alarm clocks (Emma Hill)
* Puppy licking face equals stress-reduction therapy (Michelle Whitaker)
* Foster dogs behave better than my own (Brian Learch)
* Seeing a shy dog gain the courage and confidence she needs to find a new home (Earl Smith)
* Snuggly kittens... 'nuf said! (Anon).
* Fosters are great new friends for resident pets (Michelle Whitaker)
* 2:1 ratio of wagging tails to people makes a happy household (Anon)
* These house guests don't raid your refrigerator OR require you to clean the bathroom! (Anon)
* Foster dogs earn celebrity status on walks through the neighborhood (Anon).
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Memorable Mutts and Meows
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Little Miss Sunshine After months of being at the Lost Dog Ranch, shy Little Miss Sunshine went in to fostercare where gained lots of confidence and was transformed into a social butterfly. With new self-esteem, she was adopted just this past weekend! Itchy and Scratchy These two kittens are  quite the pair, and as sad as their foster was to see them leave, their new family was just as eager to have them in their home. |
| How You Can Help |
Adopt
Foster
Volunteer
Contribute
Click to learn more
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WEEKLY ADOPTION EVENTS
Fridays:
Fair Lakes Petsmart 7-9 pm
12971 Fair Lakes Center, Fairfax VA
Saturdays:
7 Corners Petsmart 12-3 pm
6100 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church VA
Fair Lakes Petsmart 1-4 pm
12971 Fair Lakes Center, Fairfax VA
Sundays:
Leesburg Petsmart 1-4 pm
510 D Leesburg Pike, Leesburg, VA
Reston Petsmart 1-4 pm
11860 Spectrum Center, Reston VA
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Join Our List
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| More to wag about: |
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Rockstar dog Matt Damon triumphed through the first of two surgeries to repair his knees. Nearly recovered, he will soon have his final surgery.
Annabelle the Cat has also completed the first of two surgeries to repair her knees and back hips. Second surgery is scheduled for this week
Stay UTD on Matt Damon and Annabelle's recovery by checking our Facebook page.
118 dog and 27 cat adoptions in February! 156 dog and 41 cat adoptions in March! Big thanks to our volunteers who braved the cold and came out to help.
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| Issue: 2 |
March/April 2010 |
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What's Fostering Got to Do With It??
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Hello Readers!
Our March/April edition of Tails Up is all about our Foster families, and,
and the beautiful beneficiaries (our cats and dogs) of such a supportive
network.
With over 80 dogs and cats currently in foster,
the program is critical to our rescue, and to those pets who just need a little
extra care to get adopted.
Read on to learn more about what fostering means
for our pets, and the families who care for them. Who knows... you
might be left with the urge to become a foster yourself!
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From Providing a Home to Making a Difference
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Little Miss Sunshine trotted
in to our Adoption event one recent Sunday, a little extra wag her tail, a
little extra perk in her ears, and a little extra speed in her step. She was a long time-resident at the Ranch,
constantly passed over by families in favor of a more outgoing pet. She wasn't, however, overlooked by a kind and
committed foster who took her in. In
just four short weeks, Little Miss Sunshine walked in to that adoption event
with a renewed sense of hope and anticipation for finding a new home....and she
did!
We simply can't overstate
the importance of foster families to the mission of Lost Dog & Cat Rescue
Foundation. And, we can't possibly
overstate their importance to the lives of the dogs and cats who are lucky
enough to find their way into foster care.
While a majority of our
pets reside at the Lost Dog Ranch, or at our Feline adoption centers, foster
families provide an important link in the chain of care for those animals who
need a little extra TLC.
For those animals in need,
fostering equals transformation- transformation from rib-showing, dull-coated,
sluggish dog to well-muscled, sleek, athletic canine. Transformation from shy,
under the couch kitty to purring lap cat. Transformation from leash-pulling,
barking beast to heeling, obedient companion.
Someti mes, the
transformation is medical. "Kodi had an eye condition that required
extra maintenance and care at first," said Brian Learch. "We
took her in to foster so that she could recover in a home, and watched as she
healed." Similarly, Willa the cat needed to recuperate from
life-saving surgeries in a comfortable foster home where healing takes place so
much faster than in a kennel setting.
In Little Miss Sunshine's
case, and countless others, transformations we witness are social. Many of the dogs and cats that come in to our
care are undersocialized, often neglected, and never had the chance to experience
human love. Fosters provide that
critical component while the pet awaits adoption, easing that transition into a
permanent home.
When the Lost Dog Ranch
is at capacity and the call to save a life comes in, it's our fosters who make
it possible to say yes. Available foster
homes means LDCRF is able to offer a homeless pet like Little Miss Sunshine the
chance to transform from a hopeless animal fighting a battle against time at a
high-kill shelter to valuable, and irreplaceable, addition to the family.
As profound an impact
as it has on the pet, opening up heart and home has an
immeasurable impact on the foster as well. 
"Fostering has
helped me have a greater compassion for animals, than I had already had... said
Janet Jacobs, a foster who has opened her home to many cats and dogs.
"it truly makes a difference in the lives of the animals and when they get
adopted to wonderful families that love them."
Serving as a foster home truly is a family affair for some, providing life lessons to the children in the house. "Our son and daughter have learned that it can be easy to give time or money to charity, but to really make an impact means giving of yourself, loving an animal and then letting it go." Said Harry and Julie Shubin. "Fostering has taught our family that alone, we can't save the world - or even every cat... because we can't keep them all, but together with adopters we can make an impact, transforming many lives.
Photos: Little Miss Sunshine, Willa, Foster Same and LDCRF Alum Annie
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Curious About Fostering?
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Come give it a sniff at our foster event on Saturday, April 10 at
11:00 AM at the Seven Corner's Petsmart.
Members of the foster coordination team will be on hand to talk to you
about fostering responsibilities, and take your application. Interviewers will be toward the back of Petsmart. Ask for Christina.
For more information about fostering, please email foster@lostdogrescue.org
Note: Duration with a
foster pet can be as short as a week, or extend until the pet is adopted. All applicants must be screened and approved
prior to becoming a foster. Our foster
team serves as a resource to new, and existing fosters on pet-related support
and advice.
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Anonymous Confessions
of a Foster
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By: B. Arker (alias used to protect the not-so-innocent)
I'll admit it. I have
an addiction. A big addiction... well,
sometimes a small addiction-but size aside, it's usually furry, always has
paws, often slobbers, occasionally howls, and rarely leaves me enough space to
sit on the couch.
I'm a foster parent , and I love having foster dogs in my
home.
The obsession started innocently enough. I got an email one day two years ago that a
new transport of 10 week old puppies needed foster. "Just for a week..." the message said... "any time
you can give will be helpful." I called
my husband, and using my best "I promise to empty the dishwasher for the next 3
weeks" voice said "I know you are going to say NO... but I just have to ask...." He
said "yes," to my surprise, and a few days later we had two floppy eared,
clumsy-pawed, howling little coonhound pups.
 The rest is history, or, more accurately, a shy beagle, an
injured rat terrier, a goofy puppy, a wiggly pug, a sweet and adoring fox
hound, and a beautiful hairless Chinese Crested.
My husband, myself, and our two dogs love fostering for Lost
Dog. We love helping dogs find new
homes, we love helping adopters find a dog that matches their needs, and
selfishly we love the entertainment that their dynamic little personalities
bring into our household.
Our work travel commitments mean that we can't always have a
foster in our home, and sometimes, their stay is fairly short, but we know that
even a short stay is helpful for them, and enjoyable for us.
We've seen the difference that just one week can make for a
shy dog, or a dog recovering from an injury.
We've seen how helpful it is for potential adopters to hear the in-home
experiences of the dog from the foster's vantage point. While we miss them when they go, knowing we
had a role in them finding a fantastic home far outweighs any sadness.
So there. I've
confessed... and now need to go feed the addiction....
(Image of Mookie the Pug, a foster with an eye condition that required surgery)
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Tails Up! 
