WHAT’S NEw From THe CREW?

FOSTER & ADOPTION SUPER MOMS 

The Muttly Crew interviews 3 busy and inspirational mothers to kids with tails

The number of foster and adoption applications are soaring. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, dogs and cats are in demand by individuals and families, like never seen. We spoke to rescue organizations that are seeing growth in parent hopefuls jump from around 10 per month to 100. And many of those looking to embrace a furry companion have never done it before. For some, it has been a long time since they had a kid with a tail in the family.  Considering our own Crew’s current experience as a mother and an aunt to 4-legged children, we learned knowing what to expect, can go a long way in being a super pet-parent. We spoke to 3 busy and dedicated mothers to fur-babies. Their little companions include hairy and feather-kids too!  They kindly shared their insight and stories. We hope to help rookies find their footing with fostering and adoption. Check out these Q&As, where we paw-picked from some of their helpful responses:

JOY M., Sales Rep 

Instagram: @tobysfosterpups

TMC:  What inspired you to foster? Were you ready prior to begin fostering her before the pandemic or was this situation a catalyst?
Joy M. (JM): What inspired me to foster was the loss of my dog Toby. He passed away in May of last year. I did not want to adopt another dog for a while. I had been fostering before the pandemic. I have been involved with SNORT Rescue for some time. I care for short-nosed breeds like English and French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and Pugs. I have met people who were giving up on their dog. Fostering is very rewarding. I took care of Max, an English Bulldog. This time with no other dogs. He grew a lot in the time I had him. Then I fostered Baxter. His adoption fell through. I always was the backup plan. Granted parenthood is always good. Making a difference inspires me.

TMC: You have fostered dogs while you have your “furever” pooch. How is Baxter getting along with other dogs? Any tips to help foster parents when they are introducing the new dog to the pack already at home? JM: Slowly introduce the dog is a policy of rescue.  Never just bring a dog right in your home. First, make sure they are good with each other. Walk them outside together, but keep them separated, not right next to each other. Walking builds camaraderie. Then after a little while, bring them closer together. My foster Max is not neutered, and he would try to assert himself as the pack leader. You have to think about the time you will need to train them. And they usually have to be neutered or spayed at rescues. But in the case of Baxter, he wasn’t. And I had to schedule time for his operation and helping him heal. Also, his vaccines have to be spread out. 

TMC: What are the biggest challenges of fostering?
JM: For most people, it is giving up the dog. I adopted Toby when he was 11 months old. He was one of the greatest gifts in my life. A big challenge is getting the dog acclimated and then having to give up the joy to some other family he deserves. If I had kept the foster dog Martin, I  would not have been able to foster Baxter. 

TMC: What are the most fun parts of fostering?
JM: Seeing the progression of how they improve. That is rewarding. They can come into your home with physical anxiety or be emotionally hurt. When I work outside, I also have an excellent dogwalker Caroline. That helps while I can’t be home.

TMC: Any advice to new pooch fosters?
JM: Make sure everyone at home is in support of it. And you know your lifestyle. Think about your vacation time. It may not be such a short-term thing. You will have to rectify the dog’s issues and make sure he or she is physically sound before going to a family. And you have to prepare yourself for giving up your dog. Many rescues won’t let you adopt the first foster. Also, try to front-load the training. It is great even if it is for a short period of time. It is harder to get outside under quarantine. Social media is helpful. 

TMC: How do you think fostering will ramp down as people return to some type of normalcy? JM: Many will give up the dogs. We already see this a lot in rescue.  Six weeks after Christmas and after Valentine’s Day, people give up the dogs. More people are fostering  all types of dogs of all ages.

TMC: Would you consider fostering an older dog? JM: There are rescues that specialize in them, I 'm not ready to take that on right now. I went through a lot with Toby. 

Victoria W., Real Estate Agent  

Instagram: @homesbytori  

TMC: You have recently adopted a puppy you were fostering. Were you ready for taking her in before the pandemic or was this situation a catalyst? 
Victoria W. (VW): I have fostered before. In this case, she just fell into my lap. A friend of a friend who is also a neighbor. My friend knew I loved dogs and knew I previously fostered. Her name was Pocky, like the chocolate covered biscuit sticks. Then we renamed her Madeleine, like the cookie. She looks like a Madeleine. I found my Yorkie Tyler through a similar situation. I met many people through walking our dogs together.  Someone in the community had a lot of things going on personally and needed to give up Tyler. He was so problematic in several homes, actually, a little terror. He didn’t get to socialize more in Brooklyn. We couldn’t find anyone else to take him. We decided to keep him. 

TMC: You’re a mother to fur and feather-babies! What inspired you to foster and adopt? VW:  My mentality has always been, if someone doesn't want a dog for any reason, take the dog. And then find the dog a better situation. It’s better to not go into a shelter system. You want to make sure it's not a kill shelter. There is a short amount of time before the dog could be put down, if the pooch is not adopted. In my community there are a lot of nice people. It usually is not a problem to find him or her a home.

TMC: You have other pets. How is Madeleine getting along with your other 2 furry children? How are they accepting her?
VW: I have dogs and birds. She is a puppy and needs the most attention.  She is so cute. They are still adjusting.  So far, we are okay.  She is 8 months old and a really good dog. Except she has a yappy, barking side.  We are working on it. She may not have got a lot of attention before.  My other dogs Cody, a Coton de Tulear and Tyler are both originally from rescue organizations.  Cody was super happy when Madeleine or Maddy came home. Cody and Tyler don't really play together. After we got Tyler, he became more of just a people dog and didn't mingle with other dogs at the time. After my other dog Francis had past, Cody got lonely.  He tried to bond with Tyler. But he wasn't that receptive to it. Then, Madeleine came and Cody was happy for her company. We had other dogs stay with us. Cody got along with some and not others. Now, though, Cody is not as happy with Madeleine.  She thinks she runs the place. And she’s the cute young pup. She gets so much attention.

TMC: What are the biggest challenges of fostering for your situation?   VW: Consistency. My hours are usually not that stable. I am a real estate agent.  Now I am home more so it’s easier. They need to learn house rules and consistency in their schedules. This helps them learn and adapt. You have to introduce a new dog to a pack you already have at home and integrate them.
Some dogs are easier than others. My new pup Maddy is bossy. Tyler was so much worse.  Maddy is easier in a sense. My biggest challenge are the ones I already have.  The older dogs already yap, then Maddy chimes in! I really want to stop all the yapping! As a family, we are still adjusting. Walking is another challenge.  Walking Maddy with Cody is one thing. Then if I bring Tyler, it gets chaotic. He barks a lot. He is not a good walker to begin with and not a good influence on the others. I am trying to make it work. My schedule can be all over the place. Consistency and time are key. I take total responsibility for my dogs.

TMC: What are the most fun parts of fostering?
VW: Maddy is so happy and fabulous. She is a very curious puppy. She is our shadow and follows us around. Her being so happy makes us happy. She is a bundle of joy. Sweet and cute and loves to play.

TMC: Any advice to new pooch fosters? VW: Give it time. Every dog has a story. Every dog or puppy is different. They need time to adjust to new environments.  He or she may be very scared or nervous. Maddy came out of her shell very quickly. Tyler loves us but he is difficult. He is very food-motivated. If animals are difficult, take the time and work on consistency. 

TMC: Are you concerned about anyone fostering as the pandemic subsides? VW: It’s very sad for the animal if they bond with you and then have to go back into the system. If someone wants to give up the dog for whatever reason, a forced situation is never good. They should try to find a way to keep the animal. Make sure the animal gets a good life. They so deserve it.

Kathy Boyle, Chapin Hill Advisors, Inc. Founder and CEO

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.boyle.900 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boylekathy

The Muttly Crew (TMC): Prior to the pandemic, describe your fostering experiences: Kathy Boyle (KB): I was before, but I am not typically fostering right now.  If someone needs me to care for an animal, they usually don’t exit! What’s one more?  It’s hard for me to not keep it. Once, I fostered 4 ferrets because the owner had to vacate her house with nowhere to go. And I have a critter room in my home. Not everyone is set. I am able to provide a foster situation for various rescues. I can take 1 more dog for a day or two. I can quarantine them or keep them separate from my other “children.” 

TMC: How many “children” do you have? KB: 5 dogs, 3 cats, 2 bunnies, 1 guinea pig, and horse. I care for warm-blooded animals!

TMC: Wow, holy sh!%! Bless you! What inspired you to foster and adopt?  KB: In another life, I was an animal. It’s my mission on Earth. For 25 years, I had 5 dogs in the city. I also had a ferret and a chinchilla. It’s about saving a life if you are capable. Others don’t have room or a place to quarantine new pets.  It can make a huge difference if there are no kids and an understanding spouse or partner.

MC: What do you think of the fostering community expanding at such a fast pace during this pandemic?
KB: For me what changed is the bigger picture.  There is talk that shelters are empty. That is categorically not true. The headlines are not true. Foster dogs and cats are available. A lot of rescues do not go to harder hit areas like New York. And things have become more complicated during the pandemic. Rescues can’t do home visits and are hesitant to do Facetime check-ups and interviews.

TMC: Are you concerned about pet parents not being able to see through the fostering or adoption process when they return to work?  KB: They have to really think about it. Dogs could be dumped because of financial stress. If you work long hours, your life is not your own. Now, you’re not coming home at 6 pm. Are you ready for the new normal, whatever that may mean to you and your work and lifestyle? 

TMC: You are very generous with your time and space. You care for many 4-legged children. Are you able to take a vacation?  KB: Finding a very good pet sitter is challenging. It’s tough. One time, I rescued a rabbit from a garage sale. I found out later she wasn’t neutered. She had 12 bunnies and I had to place them. Another time I had litter of puppies with the mother. This was a real challenge when I was in the city. Does the sitter really take the dogs out? 

TMC: How are the new kids getting along with the other animals you take care of at home and elsewhere?  KB: Depends on which species. One time my chinchillas were killed by rabbits. They can be really vicious. Another time, a rabbit cut my toes. And they attack each other! My dogs are really good. No prey dogs right now. I sequester my cats. I have a cat tree. The dogs cannot get to it and eat the food but the bunnies can get to it!  

TMC: What are the most fun parts of fostering?  KB: Saving their life and seeing the transition. For instance, this guinea pig. Seeing him gain weight and get healthier. Hay is their number one food. Or seeing a dog blossom and get that second chance.

TMC: Any advice for new pooch fosters?  KB: Think long and hard about why you want to foster.  Going from zero to one dog is very hard. You can’t just go away, they could need daycare, or surgery, and a feeding schedule. You have to think about the changes to your lifestyle. And you need to check out the organization and vet them. A lot of people are taking dogs from the south. Parvo is a problem. They should be quarantined. Ask how many fosters they have at their rescue. And if you experience a life changing event and can’t keep the dog, is it okay to give the dog back.