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Introducing My Foster Failures


Michelleva
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I always had an idea in my head that I would love to be able to foster a few dogs and cats and help them get new homes and new beginnings.

A few years ago I did foster a few kittens, which was fun and although I loved them all, and was sad to see them go, I was also a bit relieved.

Fast forward about 18 months ago, I was out walking my dog early in the morning, when I stumbled across a cat sitting hunched up on the nature strip, looking very uncomfortable. I knocked on the doors in the street and no one answered, it was 7am though. So I knew I couldn't just leave this cat there in pain, to die. She let me pick her up and bring her home, I knew she was in a bad way because she cried in pain all the way home. And I'd already established that she couldn't put any weight on her back legs.

I rushed her to my vet, who shipped her straight off to the pound. I was heart-broken. This little cat trusted me, and I effectively dumped her in the pound, where her fate was doomed. I decided at that point to call the pound and tell them, I was the one who found her and I wanted to be kept in the loop. I just didn't want her PTS, if she was able to live. I learnt that she'd been hit by a car and had a broken pelvis. I ended up adopting her from the pound, with the idea of rehabilitating her and rehoming her. Since I already had enough cats, and honestly didn't need another. She came here with a chip on her shoulder and a bad attitude. She would attack anyone that came close enough.

I had a feeling from the time I found her, that I was meant to find her, so I called her Destiny. The stars were lined up or something like that. Her recovery was long and slow and over time, she came to trust us, even love us. She was advertised for a long time, and once even got rehomed, only to be returned 24 hours later. A few more months passed and we had another enquiry, and I just couldn't put her or I through it, so I simply said, she's been adopted. I just didn't tell her, it was me.

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Then back in December I received a call, asking if I'd be interested in fostering a sheltie who'd been rescued from a puppy farm. I'd never fostered a dog before, let alone one from a puppy farm. I didn't really know what I was in for, but I took a deep breath and dived in. Poor little Bonnie arrived, totally shut down and terrified of everything around her. She improved really quickly though and she was advertised for a new home. That home didn't work out and she was returned 10 days later. When she came back, she was so much worse than when she left. So we were not quite back to the beginning, but she was scarred from her experience. We have our own sheltie, and the two girls have a great bond. Bonnie has suffered with anxiety the whole time we've had her, but she's much better now.

We have decided that rather than keep fostering, we are going to give Bonnie a forever home. She loves us, and trusts us and she needs stability. I was really worried if we rehomed her again, she'll just keep coming back and get worse each time. I couldn't do that to her.

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So in summary, I think I'm a great owner, but maybe not meant to be a foster carer. And thats ok, I applaud all of you who do it.

If you got all the way through my essay, thanks.

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:thumbsup: lucky animals!

Agreed!!!

The point I would like to make is you are a CARER.

Your method is permanently having the animals and doing the caring.

Considering they are both rescues, then you are fabulous to have stepped up and given them a chance.

:thumbsup:

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:thumbsup: lucky animals!

Agreed!!!

The point I would like to make is you are a CARER.

Your method is permanently having the animals and doing the caring.

Considering they are both rescues, then you are fabulous to have stepped up and given them a chance.

:thumbsup:

Thank you I love them both so much, plus my others. They all give me so much joy, on a daily basis.

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I think foster failing comes with the job. You never know who is going to take your heart or need you and no-one else. I don't think any carer plans it but the risk is significantly high!

Congratulations Destiny and Bonnie!

LOL ain't that the truth!!

I've loved the Destiny and Bonnie stories. So few foster caring stories on DOL anymore. :(

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I think foster failing comes with the job. You never know who is going to take your heart or need you and no-one else. I don't think any carer plans it but the risk is significantly high!

Congratulations Destiny and Bonnie!

LOL ain't that the truth!!

I've loved the Destiny and Bonnie stories. So few foster caring stories on DOL anymore. :(

I hope thats not true, if it is, thats very sad. I know there are a lot of loving foster carers out there, maybe they just don't come here.

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I think foster failing comes with the job. You never know who is going to take your heart or need you and no-one else. I don't think any carer plans it but the risk is significantly high!

Congratulations Destiny and Bonnie!

Oh yeah! I have two foster failures myself :D

I remember Destiny's story and have followed Bonnie's as well.

Sometimes things are just meant to be :heart:

Edited by HazyWal
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I think foster failing comes with the job. You never know who is going to take your heart or need you and no-one else. I don't think any carer plans it but the risk is significantly high!

Congratulations Destiny and Bonnie!

LOL ain't that the truth!!

I've loved the Destiny and Bonnie stories. So few foster caring stories on DOL anymore. :(

I hope thats not true, if it is, thats very sad. I know there are a lot of loving foster carers out there, maybe they just don't come here.

I think they are just very busy people is all!

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As I posted in the first Bonnie thread, that's very close to how I got my heart dog, Danny the sheltie. He'd show his anxiety in a specific situation by twirling in circles. You could see the anxiety in his lovely gentle eyes... but you could also see the most enormous love there, too.

As time passed & he knew nothing else but loving and being loved, the twirling stopped and the anxiety in his eyes faded.

The only time he'd later do any twirling was when he was trying his sheepdog skills on the cat, Katie. She'd sit & meow at him as if to say, 'What do you want me to do?' And that twirling was frustrated, happy 'work'.

Danny was the dearest, most loving, most gentle sheltie ... very like your lovely Bonnie, a foster gift.

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