PLEASE CONSIDER BECOMING A DOODLE FOSTER HOME

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

     California in general is in dire need for volunteers to foster doodles. Southern CA has urgent need for two new fosters right now - please fill out an application with the DRC if you might be interested. You can use this link: http://doodlerescue.org/forum/topics/so-ca-urgent-need-for-2-new-fo...

     Don't say you couldn't give up the foster - trust me, you will be sad but feel so GREAT for helping SAVE  that dog's life. Most of the dogs we rescue are not in safe places and their time is limited. We are so thankful to reputable rescues and their volunteers or we would not have Clancy or Junior in our lives. 

     Skip and I call shelters to inquire about dogs or physically visit shelters to see a dog that might come into the DRC program.  Just think how heartbroken we get after actually seeing a doodle and having to leave it to its fate  because there isn't anyone to foster the dog, if we did pull it from the shelter. You thinking you couldn't relinquish a foster is nothing compared to how we feel when we  leave a perfectly good dog in a depressing, scary place to most likely die.  Some shelters try really hard to give the dogs some attention and minimal care, and cooperate with rescues and private adopters, but we find that often no one cares what happens to the dogs. Some of these workers actually seem to thwart any actions to retrieve a dog from them as long as they get their paycheck.

     And I realize that fostering isn't for everyone for lots of reasons, but please consider whether you can foster and save a dog's life. If you have questions about fostering, ask.  Thanks so much.

Look at these guys and tell me your heart doesn't break thinking what might have happened to them if it wasn't for rescue.

Clancy on adoption day:

     Clancy later:

Sunny at the shelter:

Sunny later:

Puppy Junior at the shelter

and three months later:

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Application just submitted to DRC. We aren't that far from you and if the doodle train can get them to Az, or meet us, we would be willing to help.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Thanks so much Sue!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

You are welcome, Karen and Nancy. Let's see if the DRC feels the doodles and I will be a good fit. I just dog sat my niece's 12 yr old black lab for 3 weeks, and she fit right in with my two and was no trouble at all. It took some settling in time for the pack , but nothing we couldn't handle. I guess I got used to having 3 big dogs around, so a foster doesn't seem so scary anymore.

Along with her visit, my elderly parents moved in, one with Alzhiemers and one with dementia. So I figured I can handle a poor needy doodle anytime, if I could do 3 dogs during all this confusion. BTW, they are moving into a Senior community on tues. So I didn't mention them in my application.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Wow! Sue.  You have a lot going on right now and certainly if you can do all that - and still work :-}  you could do wonders with a foster.  I am glad you found a senior community for your parents. In our case,  I thinks it gives my mom more dignity to live 'on her own' and gives her way more stimulation than sitting in my house, and it allows me to be more objective and less emotional (i.e  me reverting to a bratty teenager) when dealing with a highly demanding and manipulative princess.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Boy Nancy, so glad to hear you share your perspective about being "a bratty teenager" when dealing with, in my case, a self absorbed, vain, depressed and "sucks-the-life-out-of-me" elder parent. It makes me not feel good when I have to keep correcting, reminding, repeating the same answer and redirecting them.
They need to be as independent as possible and be with their own peers so they( or she, he has expressive aphasia due to Alzhiemers ) can say the same thing over and over and over and just in case you didn't get it the 3rd time........over one more time....to her fellow 80 year olds and they will be good with that.
So yes, I'm thinking a foster would be a breeze after all this!!!! Lol

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thank you, Sue! 

[Jen, Buddy, & Kevin]

I have a few questions about fostering (some specific to our current living situation) if you wouldn't mind answering them? We are in the Bay Area and probably wouldn't be able to help the dogs currently in need in SoCal, but would be able to potentially foster other dogs in the future. And if we move back east in the next few months, we'll potentially have more room than we do now.

- what is the expectation of where the foster dogs stay while with us? In the house with our dogs? Obviously, not out in the yard bc that's crazy and our garage is not an option - but what if they're sick/not friendly/have issues with other dogs?

- who pays for food and vet bills? Do we pay and get reimbursed? Or if we're solely responsible for all costs associated with the fosters, is it tax deductible under charitable donations?

- how do visits with potential forever home families work? Do they come to our house?

- how does transportation work between getting the foster and getting the dog(s) to their forever homes? And any costs associated with that?

If I've missed anything, please feel free to expand on what I've asked - the more info, the better! My conversation with DH on this just started 5 minutes ago and I'm open to fostering, but he has reservations bc we have two dogs. He's also very factual when it comes to making decisions, if that helps understand why I'm asking these questions.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The dogs do have to stay somewhere in your home. Dogs are vetted beforehand, and would not be sent to a foster home if they were contagious, but there is not always a way to know if they have any issues with other dogs, especially when they are coming from a shelter situation. It's rare that there are serious problems between fosters and home dogs, but it does happen. Many fosters use gates and crates to maintain peace. The home dogs are expected to be given priority. 

Most fosters feed the dog the same thing their own dogs eat, and "donate" the cost of food, but it is not required. You could be reimbursed for that, but you would need a separate receipt for the foster's food for the rescue's records. All medical/vetting is paid by the rescue; if the rescue is notified beforehand that the dog is going to the vet, a credit card number is called in to the vet; if not, (in an emergency situation) you would submit a receipt and be reimbursed. Any expenses incurred in caring for a foster that are not reimbursed are tax-deductible, including mileage for foster related trips to or from the vet, picking up the dog, etc. 

Adopters are solely responsible for picking up their dogs, the foster is not expected or required to bring the dog to their new home. As for how the dog gets to the foster, if the foster is unable to get the dog from wherever they are, transportation can usually be arranged among other volunteers. This is what is called a "doodle train". 

Visits with potential adopters are arranged at the foster's convenience. If you are comfortable with them coming to your home, that's fine. If not, you can choose a nearby place to meet them. Again, you are not expected to have to transport the dog long distances for the convenience of the potential adopter. Before it gets to the point that an applicant even allowed to meet the dog, their references have been thoroughly checked, they have been interviewed by the adoption coordinator, they have talked to you at least once, they are thought to be a good fit for the dog, and they are being seriously considered as the dog's owners. There are no casual meetings with just anybody who might be interested. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And fosters typically stay with you for 2 weeks to 2 months. 

[Jen, Buddy, & Kevin]

Thanks for all the info Karen! It's so helpful! I'm interested in fostering and DH is on the fence, although with a little time to talk about it further, I'm confident he'll be on board. One question he had last night was what happens if a dog stays with us for a long time and doesn't get adopted? Does it end up being a part of our family? And I thought of Rudy, reminded him of Rudy's story, and said "yeah I guess so." I got a "that's cool" out of him. :-).... He's planning on a job search in the next month or two that hopefully leads to a cross country move, so it would be best to wait until we settle in a new home. Should I fill out the application with DRC anyway? Or wait?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If you anticipate a move in the next couple of months, you might want to wait. But I think it's great that you want to foster. 

It's very rare that a doodle isn't adopted within a month or two. There are usually lots and lots of applications for each one. The older dogs and those with chronic health issues may take longer, but even those eventually find their person. :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Perhaps you could apply now and, if asked take a foster and it looks like you will still be here for another couple of months, you could give it a try?????