Contribute to a rescue group, either financially or by volunteering. Fostering rescued animals until a permanent home is found is one of the biggest needs of rescue groups like ours.

Do you see why the killing can never end, until we make major changes in how we perceive the breeding of dogs and cats? If you don't see, spend a day at any county shelter. If you love animals, it will make you weep. Watch the people dragging in perfectly sweet adorable pets whose only sin is that they are inconvenient now. “I'm moving.” “I'm getting married.” “I'm having a baby.” “We haven't had time to housebreak her.” Unlike strays, these “owner surrender” pets have no waiting time before they may be destroyed. When told, “We are so crowded, your pet will probably be put to sleep before the end of the day” they reply, “Well, I just don't know what else I can do!” The abandoned pet watches, confused and trembling, as their whole world turns and walks out the door.

Often the owner freely chose to move to a place that does not accept pets, disregarding what will happen to ‘Gretchen’ until the last moment. Maybe they thought they could make a few calls and see if someone would take her, thinking it wouldn’t take more than a week or so to find a sweet dog like ‘Gretchen’ a new home. Unsuccessful, it's off to the pound with her. We have heard them say, “We love her so much, she's just like a member of the family." Would they put a member of their family in a place where there is an 85% chance they will be killed within a week? We have heard them say, “Oh, it was so hard ON US to give ‘Gretchen’ up....it almost killed us." Chances are, it did kill ‘Gretchen’.

Would you ever expect to hear, “I need to move to a smaller apartment so I will just have to ‘get rid’ of one of the kids;” or “The kids won't quit being destructive with those crayons so we are turning them in to the shelter;’ and “It's just killing US that we are such poor parents, but we don't know what else we can do but get rid of them.” Being abandoned at an animal control facility is a terrible fate. Alone and confused, the abandoned pet is petrified but helpless to change his fate. To those of us who see this day in and day out, it's haunting. This is needless suffering. Every day the incinerators burn with the ones the rescue group did not have room for, while the ones we squeezed into busy foster homes are playing ball and getting groomed and loved and petted. For those lucky few, the fear will subside and they will, at long last, get a loving home.

You may be surprised to know that for some county shelters, rescue groups are a greater resource for saving dogs from destruction than their own county citizens. Often a beautiful little poodle, terrier, or friendly little mix will sit in the shelter his entire allotted 3 days and no one notices. Some shelters get very few visitors. Then TIME IS UP and if a rescuer can't immediately drop everything, locate a willing foster home, and race to the shelter to get him out, he will be killed without so much as a chance, a tear, or any acknowledgment of how very wrong this is. It's not the fault of the shelter workers. It's society's fault for turning a deaf ear to this problem. It's the fault of those who carelessly allow breeding or let their family pet run loose with no identification tag. It's the fault of all of us who have ever bought from a pet shop or a back yard breeder.

Shelters are a major source of our rescue dogs, but they are not the only source. Some of our dogs are owner surrenders, but we feel it is most urgent to take from the shelters if we have room, as those dogs will almost surely die.

Another space in a foster home is another life saved. What follows is an overview of what will be required of you as a foster home. We also ask that you come by the adoption site with your completed foster application so that we can meet you and see if we have a dog in our program that fits your household, your lifestyle, and your experience level. Pictures of your home, your yard, and other pets are welcome and helpful. It can save time if you bring copies of recent vet records showing that your own pets are neutered and any dogs are on heartworm preventative. Your vet can usually fax the records to you, or directly to us. Remember, your foster may get adopted the very first weekend or it could take two months or more before the right home is found. Certain dogs tend to be more popular and will draw lots of good applications in little time. Others may be more difficult to place because they need a special situation, such as no kids, someone home a lot, or experience in behaviors caused by prior neglect or cruelty. We ask that you be patient and fulfill that obligation to the best of your ability. We will try to work with you if you need to go out of town and must place your foster temporarily. Of course, if it is simply not working out, the pet will be placed somewhere else. But we try to avoid that.

We have a lot of experience in making your foster situation work. We have literature and personal training you will want to absorb and use. You must expect to make adjustments. Try not to be too sensitive to signs that your own pet “doesn't like sharing his home.” Sometimes a new foster home interpret the pet’s initial reaction and careful curiosity as “My pet simply hates it.” Be patient. Your pet will almost always adjust and come to enjoy, or at least tolerate, the orphan.

1. You may need to set up a crate in your bedroom (we can loan you one if you need it).
2. If you have a cat and you are fostering a small dog, you will need to put the cat food on something high so the dog cannot reach it but the cat can. Cat food is too rich for dogs and can be harmful to their organs. (Same applies for kitty litter - some dogs think cat “cookies” are a gourmet treat - YUCK!)
3. Be prepared to confine the foster to a crate or a kitchen or bath while you are gone. We don't always know the nature of the dog. It's better safe than sorry.
4. It may seem that your own pet is briefly reluctant to eat or is acting funny after being introduced to your foster. Give it time. Let them work it out and get over it. They will. Sometimes foster parents worry excessively about small signs from their own pets. Just tell them that they are involved in a LIFE SAVING mission for their fellow creatures and they need to “BUCK UP”, get with the program, and learn to share. The same applies to you. I had a schnauzer back in 1994 who, in the beginning, hated sharing her home, her stuff, her ‘mommy’, and her exclusive domain with an interloper. Now she doesn't think the day is complete if she doesn't get to sniff a ‘new butt’ and toddle around like the Welcome Wagon, showing off how she has a home, while they are still mere orphans. She is fascinated with the goings on of the world of my fosters and doesn't want to miss anything. Years later, due to the increased number of my fosters, I now keep my foster dogs downstairs in my daylight basement that is outfitted specially for rescue. Now it's hard to keep her upstairs where she belongs - she longs to know what's happening down there.

   Fostering is very rewarding. While it does present challenges, we ask you to give it a chance, be a little flexible, be willing to make adjustments, try not to assume your pet is miserable with the situation, and ask questions of us on how to solve problems that may come up. Try to expect some changes, some inconvenience, and try not to return the dog without giving it your best. Remember, making it work is life or death for them. We can't take the next little orphan (who may die) until this one is in a stable foster home. We need you. They need you desperately.

   COMMON QUESTIONS

   Will my pets catch anything from my foster? Very unlikely. We usually only place dogs that have been in quarantine for a period of time and have been fully vetted. I have brought literally hundreds of foster dogs into my home over the years, and my own pets have never caught a serious problem. It goes without saying, however, that your own pets must be kept current on their vaccinations. Even though we can't vaccinate for some respiratory and intestinal viruses, these usually do not affect your own pets in more than a minor way, since they have not been stressed and are well cared for. In a worst-case scenario, your pet may get a loose stool for a few days and then shed the virus. They will not usually show any change in behavior. Routine annual vaccines prevent your pets from catching the dangerous viruses such as distemper and parvo.

   What will it cost me to foster? You are not required to spend any money on your foster. He will usually be neutered and given shots and a heartworm test before you get him. We can also provide food. But we do need you to BRING HIM TO ADOPTION EVERY SATURDAY. You may drop him off, or stay and help, and meet those interested in adopting him. If you can not do this, occasionally we have a foster who needs recovery time before coming to adoption. If you cannot bring your foster to adoption day, you may wish to foster one of these dogs. They may need to grow hair back or be socialized in a loving home environment before they are ready for adoption.

   Where do I sign up? If you have access to the web, you can download our Foster Application from our website at www.smalldoghumane,org. Foster application forms are also available at our pet adoptions every Saturday afternoon. Fostering is one of our greatest needs. We cannot function without it. But if you can't foster, maybe you can help out in another capacity. We need people to screen applications (you need a computer for this), to help out at adoptions, help with fund raising, and any number of things. Again, show up at our adoption any Saturday at the Sandy Springs Petco (5938 Roswell Rd., N.E., Atlanta, GA 30328 Phone 404-255-6544). Please bring your completed foster application and give it to one of our volunteers. We are there between 12 and 4 p.m. Sometimes we stay after to have an informal meeting among ourselves about the day's events. If fostering doesn't work out, the worst thing that can happen is that you'll give the pet back to us and we will find another foster home for him. Please consider helping us save lives in this way. We can't do it without you. Every week we see new ones and know they will die in the shelters if we cannot take them. Another foster home means another life spared.