BS: Fosterpuppies

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: LilyFestre
Date: 22 Oct 05 - 10:49 PM

Susan,

   Who does that? The SPCA?

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 05 - 09:35 PM

They have a deal here, bring in a whole litter of anything and get a free spay-certificate for the mother. So they tend to get whole litters.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: Scoville
Date: 22 Oct 05 - 06:53 PM

Sorcha--just foster something you know you don't want to live with. My parents fostered a litter of six mixed-pointer puppies a few years ago. The mother was a sweet but utterly brainless animal and they figured it wouldn't be as hard to give them up if they thought they might grow up to be hyperactive canine dunces. ;-)

I couldn't foster kittens, though. I can't pass up a cat. I fostered a big, brawny, ill-tempered calico for work once and had a Hell of a time giving her away even though she tried to bite me every time I made her do something she didn't want to do (and she didn't want to do very much, believe me), like get off my lap or stop scratching the door jamb. I never saw an ugly cat or a kitten that wasn't unbearably cute, no matter how bedraggled.

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: number 6
Date: 22 Oct 05 - 12:26 AM

I can rant on about Greyhound racing. It's amazing how this sport can be legalized in civilized (or so called) societies.
sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 04:11 AM

It is a fact that in Britain, the RSPCA (Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) was formed a full 5 years before the NSPCC (National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children) and had royal patronage from the start.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 12:45 AM

Which rant do you want?

Fuggabuncha Pet Stores
Fuggabuncha Backyard Breeders
Fuggabuncha Puppy Mills
..........or one of many others blaming every asshole in this world who would sell a dog into a family who have no reason to own that breed or any ability to train the pup?

Spaw (Weim Rescue USA and The Weimaraner Rescue Railroad)

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: NH Dave
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 12:39 AM

I've bought the purebred dog or cat, and I've bought the unwanted ones at the animal shelter, and I've prefered the shelter animal to many of the purebred ones, over the years. When I was young we'd go around to the various farms who'd just produced a new litter of kittens, and adopt one of them. We had neither the means nor the desire for purebred cats back then. One of the pound cats turned out to be a very trainable animal who also amazed all comers with his desire for watermelon! My apartment mate was his first post pound owner, and being an AF dog handler and trainer, soon had the cat retrieving crumpled up balls of paper, the way a dog will frequently decide he might just lower himself to retrieve a thrown ball. With the cost of animals going up, we've always had good luck with the fostered animals from the shelter. Currently I have an older Hymalayan neutered female that came available at our SPCA, and she's turend out to be a very nice cat indeed. She seems to think that her proper place is at my feet when I'm in a chair - even a rocker- and beside my legs when I'm sleeping.

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 08:16 PM

Isn't it interesting how different we are. My own boundary consists of being unable to go to the dog pound to exercise the dogs- I don't want to get fond of a dog and never know what eventually happened to it, whether it got a good home or if it was eventually 'put down'.

However I recognize that as a defect in myself. The people who go there religiously and do it are doing it to make a difference in the dogs' life, and forgetting themselves in the process. I admire them no end. What they are doing is far more virtuous than what I am doing.

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: mack/misophist
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 07:54 PM

I fostered a sick litten from the SPCA 12 years ago. Never again. He's still here.

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 07:53 PM

I would have cried my heart out too Liz...

I guess I'm thinking of two things...but the one that is related to animals is this. I have 2 kittens right now....that belong to one of my cats. I love them and play with them and treat them as my own but deep in my heart, I know that they are destined to have new homes...I can't keep them here. I know I'll cry when they go, but it won't be the same as if someone were to come and take one of MY cats. Make sense?

I know the program Susan is talking about and I think it's a very worthwhile effort if you have the heart and patience for it. If it weren't for others socializing the pups and kittens, I fear their placement options would be severely limited. Some folks that are foster parents for pets have children so the new animal learns to be around people and children. Others don't have children, but have other animals that the foster pet can learn to be around.

I think I would be more concerned about how well my own pets would cope with a new friend and then the absence of the new friend. We had 2 labs in the house at one time. One of them died over the summer...the other is still very clingy and mopey...she misses her friend and grieves for him (okay....me too). I'd hate to purposely do that to one of my critters...hence, I do not take part in the foster care animal program at this time.

Michelle, joining LTS in the Big Softie Club

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 07:34 PM

Not me... I cried like a baby when I had to have an annoying but sick stray cat put down...

I just couldn't cope with that seperation anxiety every time.

Big softie me....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: LilyFestre
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 06:09 PM

I think that when you know someone (child or animal) is going to be with you for a limited amount of time, you are better able to keep that part of your heart in check...and purposefully not make that kind of attachment.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 05:31 PM

Sorcha, I don't agree. When I was still at home my mother and I fostered children. We had more than 30 children over the course of the years. Often a child's departure would make us weep- but when you know that they are going to a permanent home it is a price you WANT to pay.

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 04:23 PM

Sorch, if you can leave a Mudcatter behind, you can send a pup on to a good new home.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 03:38 PM

I'd get too attached to most of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 03:04 PM

My niece and her husband in Astoria Oregon foster baby animals. Right now they have a pure white pit bull puppy they are socializing and another mixed breed young'un. (They already have their own dog and cats.) My niece's children are getting a rich lesson in compassion.

Subject: BS: Fosterpuppies
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 02:52 PM

Did you know yor lcoal animal shelter may have a need for folks to foster newlly-rescued dogs? Yup. Pups and up, dogs in need of loving 'em up right and some assessment of temperament to make a better matchup possible at adoption.

We signed up thinking we would get youth dogs, but I JUST got our first call-- and when I needed to check with Hardi and call them back, I missed a litter of shepherd/rottweiler-mix 5-week old babies. Our shelter supplies cage, bedding, and food correct for their age. Foster family feeds and waters and handles them till they are strong enough to adopt out. (Poop patrol also of course.) Kewl beans, huh? Serial dogs you do not have to board out at vacation time!

~Susan