Should I Foster a Bulldog?
Congratulations if that thought ever crossed your mind. You embody the spirit that can save a Bulldog’s life and put him on the path to fur-ever happiness. Rescue is a noble cause that fulfills the human passion to serve and makes a life and death difference for these most precious of animals.
Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue thrives because of our volunteers. We measure success by the number of dogs rescued and re-homed—a number that increases annually. We have more Bulldogs than ever in our custody. All of them need foster families and homes where they will be safe, loved, nourished, and prepared for an adoptive family.
Many worthy and willing potential foster families demur because of two popularly shared fears. Every foster family has wrestled with these same emotions. Here is how to overcome them and join the ranks of Bulldog guardians.
I will become too attached to the dog that I will not be able to let her go
.
Consider that dogs that do not reach Rescue are often euthanized. When you welcome a foster dog into your home, you become attached because that character trait is what brought you to Rescue. You evaluate, train, enjoy, and love your foster Bulldog while promoting her with creative written, photographic and video updates which LSBCR publishes on social media to an ever-increasing audience.
LSBCR carefully screens potential adoptive families. The last step in the process is the home meeting. Potential adoptive family, foster family, and the Bulldog assess the chances of success. Fosters know their dogs, interact candidly with the visiting family, and decide whether the family and Bulldog are a good match.
If so, and the Bulldog is adopted, you will endure parting moments of sweet sorrow. When you kiss your foster pup good bye, that tug of sadness will meld into the joy of having transformed him from disposable to cherished.
When she drives away with her smiling family, your heart soars for their joy while your soul aches for your loss. Helping another deserving Bulldog is the best cure. So, embrace that attachment you feared about letting him go because that is what makes you a good foster parent.
I am afraid to fail or disappoint LSBCR and the Bulldog.
This is a completely understandable and often intimidating reaction, but fellow fosters will help. You will not fail or disappoint anyone. The LSBCR has resources on its website and a Foster Manual to help with many common problems.
Desire to serve as a foster family is all you need to succeed. Open your hearts and homes to fostering a Bulldog. You may be surprised how good you are as a foster and grateful for the difference you have made in a Bulldog’s life.
The next step…
If you think you and your family are ready to take the plunge and make such a difference, please check out our website for more information. Go ahead and submit a
foster application
to get the process started. There is no obligation and you can stop the approval process at anytime.
