hello to all foster parents.
i am giving up on of my foster babies who was suppose to be a permanant one but because of personal reasons she is a now going to be adopted out. i love her so much she is the sweetest active happy thing in the world and she deserves more! how do u know when you have found a goo potential owner? is it a feeling?
i really don't want her to be abandoned if it doesn't work out as she has had a hard start in life. how do i guarentee that? how do i know that they will give her the best life possible?
ah help!! thank you
Answers:
I used to do a questionnaire, but I don't anymore. Mostly because the really cruddy pet owners know how to lie on it, because they've had tons of pets and filled out those forms a lot. I talk to a person instead. I like to see how much a person seems willing to learn. I finally have a potential home for two of my foster kittens. We're going over to meet the guy tomorrow night. His first email told me he didn't know much about cats but, wanted to learn. He's been a very good listener and has asked my opinion on things he's already buying for them. If he doesn't adopt my two, he'll probably still adopt from another group I work with in the area.
It's hard for people to keep up a lie when they're talking to you. Eventually they'll slip up and not remember what they lied about before. For instance, how a previous pet died. But, if they're doing it all on paper, they just have to look at what they filled out last.
I trust my judgment too. If everything sounds right, but, I get a bad feeling about it, I don't adopt them out.
i dont know how they do it but they are brilliant aret they
Its a feeling, but alot of people will feed you lies, you never actually know for sure.
you may want to be more specefic with what animal it is, or someone might think its an actual baby
Have your potential new owner fill out a form stating that she will return the dog to you if she can no longer take care of it. This way, you KNOW that your "baby" will be cared for by someone...if not this person, then another.
I am not a foster parent but I did adopt my baby vinny from a foster parent. He is the joy of my life (besides my children). He goes on rides with me, loves to go to Petsmart and the park. I know that when I was trying to adopt him the foster parent interviewed my vet, friends, and boss. She came to my house and made sure it was acceptable for him(he is a german shepherd so he needs room). Then we had to visit her at her house with our children to see if he would react well with them. it was a long process but well worth it.
I think you will just know when you find the right one.
won't they let you keep her or is it because you can't. when i see things like this i wish i could take over myself to make sure the child stays safe. but i don't have a home of my own God bless you both u need it.
I have a lengthy questionnaire that I ask potential adoptors to fill out. This helps me find just eh right home for the dogs, but since nothing is fail proof, I also have a very detailed contract that says if it doesn't work out, the dog MUST, absolutely MUST came home to me. There is a bit of intuition that goes into it, but most is just investigation of the potential owner. I insist on visting the home before I give over the dog, and meeting ALL family members. No matter how hard you try, you ARE human. It is so hard but so worth it to rescue and foster. If you'd like a copy of my questionnaire and contract, just e-mail me. I'll be glad to share. Thanks for helping the pup.
Is this some idea of a joke because it seems like a waste of time. You are not telling us what babies you are talking about. You posted this in the "Dogs" category so what is the real story? Get more specific about what you are talking about because I don't think anyone has a clue as to what you are referring to.
Rephrase and Repost!!
You have gotten some great advice here but the most important in my opinion is this~
HOME VISIT!! Physically go to the home, ask the neighbors questions..become nosey! (within limits)
Thank God I read the other posts before I answered, I truly believe Jennifer T has the best way to guarantee the puppy's welfare. If I were in your shoes I would do as she says. Get the forms from her, she knows what she is talking about.
Good luck!
I am not a foster parent and commend anyone who is ~ if I was I would have a house full of dogs and end up adopting them myself.
I did however; just recently adopt, a 3 yrs old Pom Valentino. I went through a grueling process of very long applications; phone visits, home visits not just by the rescue group but by my local Humane Society as well, furnishing documentation that I was physically/financially and mentally able to care for for a dog, my home was inspected and made sure it was "doggie proof," e-mail interviews etc
This entire process took almost 2 months, my ordeal took a little longer than normal because my little guy was being treated for heartworms but once I received official word that my application/home had been chosen ~ I can't begin to tell you but it was all so very well worth it.
The rescue groups are all about the dogs ~ not people, they place these animals w/the right person, for the right reason, at the right time! I also had to sign a contract stating that if for any reason my new adoptee just did not work out in my home that he was to be returned to the rescue group...
I can't and will never complain about the process of rescue or fostering ~ the people who devote their homes, time and love into these discarded pets who are sole dedicated to the well being of the animals ~ in my books are truely wonderful, wonderful people, thanks you.
Give her a big kiss and a blanket to take with her. The one thing that makes fostering bearable is knowing that by sending this one to a new forever home, you now have room for someone else to help.
Please stay in contact with the new owners for the first year. Be there to answer questions, I have even baby sat for old fosters.
I know some of my guys are already waiting at the rainbow bridge and some day I'll see them there.
Bless your heart, say a prayer, take a nap and then on to the next challenge.
I do my own home visits. If the little signal in your brain says hmm listen to it . Better to turn down a good one than to place with a bad one. Good ones always reapply.
I adopted out one of my dogs, who wasn't actually a foster; he was supposed to be permanant, but due to an illness in the family, I had to rehome him.
I enlisted the help of a rescue group director who has been dealing with adoptions for 20 years, and she found the family who ended up adopting my little Bear. When I met them, I had a really great feeling about them, and after seeing how happy their little dog was, I knew it was going to be a great home for my Bear. I told them specifically that if for ANY reason, they EVER wanted or needed to give him up, I would take him back without hestitation. I have kept in contact with them for the past two years, and they email me pictures of him.
I'm so sorry that you have to give up your baby... It's never easy, but I do hope that the people who adopt her will give you peace of mind that she's in good hands : )
Best of luck
-Purr
I have fostered pets. It is a bittersweet experience but so rewarding that is more sweet than bitter! Anyone that knows me can NOT imagine me being able to do this but each time I tell myself if I keep this 1 I can not help anymore. AS many above responded the rescues go to GREAT lengths to insure a pet gets the best new forever home and I use this as reassurance. I know my foster dog will be loved, happy, and spoiled from this day forward. It has helped me to talk to the prospective family and hear their excitement and enthusiasm, and than it becomes exciting to me too! I have never had any doubts about any of my fosters futures and that is the comfort I get when I let them go on to their new lives. I always try to get to that positive place before they go because they definitely sense your anxiety so the best thing you can do is be calm, and try to be happy for her!
You have done a wondeful thing, I hope you find the strength.
I agree with you. It is very hard to see them go away like that. I wish I could have kept all of mine-the first one I did. After that I realized that if I kept them all, soon I wouldn't be able to help any other dogs that needed me, so I try to detach myself as much as I can. (in between hugs and kisses)
If you have done a home visit with these people, and some vet checks and personal reference checks, your baby should be ok. Remember to really look and do less listening to them. What you see is often different from what you hear. You will know when you are in the home whether the place is going to be a safe haven or a nightmare for the dog. Make sure you meet the entire family-anyone who is going to be caring for the dog. This is important!
Make sure you see where they will keep the dog when they are not home(the basement is not a good place), and also where the dog will sleep. If they ask alot of questions about feeding and what the dog likes to do for play, that is good.
Most important of all, I watch my foster dog with the family. I believe dogs can sense when something is wrong with a person, and they will be a little more wary with those people.
Don't forget to get a phone number and an email address and ask the new owners to email you pictures and keep in touch. Offer to be a mentor for any issues that crop up. That will keep you in touch as well.
Definitely stress to the owners that they need to call you immediately if things are not working out. This will prevent the urge to dump the dog in a shelter. I have the email addresses of all the people I have adopted to, just in case. Once in awhile, I email them asking how things are going, to put my mind at rest. So far I have been lucky. I am sure you will do fine with this. You will feel better when you start getting pictures of the dog being pampered by her new family.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment