Support For Foster Carers

[OutOfSightHound]

I recently started volunteering for a Rescue. A friend asked me to help out becasue I had a lot expereince with the breeds they were working with and had actually worked and trained dogs for the work they are supposed to do. I have plenty of experience with the breeds this organisation was dealing with. I now want to distance myself from this rescue as I feel that Foster carers are given little or no support in the area of these breeds. They can post to a forum but when it comes to really difficult situations such as dog on dog agression or special needs dogs with deafness or blindness there is in reality little to no support. I was contacted by word of mouth from another state and discovered a carer had a deaf dog and was experiencing a huge amount of difficulty. She was contacting the admin staff by email and had no response other than from fellow carers. I'm watching a foster care revolving door with people leaving becasue they got a dog they couldn't cope with because they had little or no experience with the breed. What doesn't help is that there are pets and then dogs that should be doing what the breed has been breed for.

There is No training at all provided for the carers even on basic breed habits and behaviours. A yard Check and Reference Check seems to be all thats needed which I find a bit unsettling. Most are learning on the go but even the foster co-ordinators don't have that much experience with the breeds we are dealing with. I have voiced a few of my concerns but they have been met with the answer we don't have those sort of resourses. I'm lucky as I'm extemely experienced with the breed but other are not. I feel like I get shouted down a lot when say a dog is badly bred and beyond help becasue it's temprement is KRUD and it should be PTS as no sound breeder would even let a dog like this be adopted or bred for that matter. I also feel at times that my unwillingness to foster a X causes resentment. I won't foster a X because I don't know what it will be like and I will only deal with what I know.

I'm also frustraited with the extreme ethics involved with not dealing with certain places for advertising or how often a dog that should be PTS is saved when really it was a badly breed dog in the first place with serious temprement issues due to bad breeding and NOT mistreatment as they seemed to think. This really comes down to the serious inexperience of the people involved and for a bunch who really want to protect themselves from getting a bad name are going the wrong way about it.

I also was recently hurt by a post which I don't think I was supposed to see because I adopted a dog from a breeder and NOT from this rescue group. The comment was if I was so experienced with these breeds why didn't I adopt one of the dogs that needed an experienced home? The point was that the type of dog I wanted DOESN'T end up in rescue because the breeders are very cagie about who their dogs go to and I'm not willing to adopt the breeds from this organisation because I'm experienced enough to know that right now I can't give these breeds of dogs the home they need.

The whole experience has left me really upset and I don't think I ever want to foster again. It's even put me off getting a rescue dog in the future because of what I've seen. I'm passionate about this breed of dog but I don't think any justice is being done here and I worry about what it's doing for the future of Rescue animals becasue I don't think I'm alone here.

I really want to see more effort put into training and making sure Foster carers are actually able to cope and can get support when they can't cope. Also it might be time to pay people too as Volunteers are great but at a cetain point when things grow to a certain size you need to start paying to aviod employing Monkey's! I think the work load some VOlunteers are expected to take on without pay is extreme and unfair and I think some co-ordinators should be paid to attract the right people and make sure that the training and support is in place. It may mean less money for dogs but I think it will improve the outsome for the dogs in the long run and maybe even increase the number of carers in the long term becasue they have good management and support.

[Little Gifts]

Have a look at this thread:

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/239114-just-volunteered-to-foster/page__p__5882420__hl__foster__fromsearch__1#entry5882420

This is an issue that comes up from time to time. I am a foster carer and was initially going to foster for a group who took on a lot of staffies because that is a breed I love. However they were willing for me to take them straight from the pound with no quarantine or assessment; basically telling me I could choose whichever I wanted from pics or basic breed, sex and age info.

Instead I am a foster carer for someone who quarantines and vets her dogs first and who listens to me about what I think would best suit our household and who is always available to answer any questions I have. They are her dogs and I respect her knowledge and wishes but they are also her dogs in my household so it has to be a two way thing. I want to do my best but I can't if I have the wrong dog or if I have concerns or questions I can't get answered or if I simply don't have the skills for that dog. I couldn't support a group who couldn't or wouldn't support me because the dogs always lose out.

Even though I don't even own one of the breed I foster I still feel very much part of an extended family of the other foster carers, adopters and the rescuer herself. And because of that I also get involved in other activities to promote the breed, the foster dogs that are available and of course raise money. It's all very wholistic and is a nurturing environment for me.

Don't let this experience put you off - not all rescue is the same.

[OutOfSightHound]

Thank you for that. I really want to foster again but the whole experience I've been through really left me feeling awful. I'm going to try fostering for an organisation that rehomes Racing Greyhounds but my experience from the other group was holding me back from applying. I loved the breeds I was working with but I'm too afraid to even post what they were because I don't want to be named (and it's totally unrelated to the breeds I keep myself). I'm scared of some of the people in this group as they can be awful to people who opt out or quit which I think is horribly unfair. The stuff that goes on in the forum after people get booted out or quit is awful so I'm trying to melt into the background and quietly drop out.

I've chosen the greyhound people to try again because it seems they have heaps of support from the breeders and a paid co-ordinator who operates full time. There is even an emergency number if things go wrong and I believe there is some training involved as well. I do own sight hounds but I certainly am always keen to learn more from people who have been breeding and keeping these sorts of dogs longer than I have been alive. I think the racing industry backed support might also keep the extreme fruit loopers out I hope (fingers crossed).

[Just Andrea]

The question "Are rescue doing enough to educate and support Foster Carers" is about as specific as the question "How long is a piece of string?" The measure of rescue's effectiveness to support new carers can only be determined based on the group being assessed. It would be like asking if all "dentists" are giving quality service for money....the answer is likely dependent on which dentist you visit, how much you paid and what that experience was like.

The broad answer to your question is: yes, rescue groups with sound support structues are and rescues who focus on quantity with little thought to quality probably aren't. Based on your experience posted you possibly have encountered the latter.

There is no one size fits all structure for rescue. Some have a formal "Committee" with a FC co-ordinator, some have mentors assigned to new carers, some have associate carers....etc etc

What is important though is that new carers are given the support they need in a way that fits them and their existing household.

A good mentor/co-ordinator will be hands on from the initial enquiry about foster caring to meeting them and their existing animals and other people in the household to deciding on the very first foster they will be taking that will fit in there and helping with any initial introductions/settling in and support particularly during days to weeks thereafter and ongoing ready accessibility to support as needed.

As carers become more experienced and the person generally needs less intensive support the mentor/co-ordinator can then start to push their boundaries and challenge them further and get them involved more if the process if they want.

Anyone in this role not only needs dog experience/handling skills but just as importantly needs a high level of emotional intelligence and people management skills.

I suspect where some groups fall down with support for carers sometimes it is just a matter of mismatched personality types, not necessarily deliberate neglect. Although on a personal note I do think some groups have way too much admin for people to get through to the people they need to speak to.

As an example, I have some carers who I check in with if I haven't heard from them for a while but with them I know, no news is good news....i.e. all is going well and that they will contact me asap if they need help or advice on anything. Then I have other carers, some with just as much experience, that will feel not supported even if I don't regularly contact them just to say hi and check all is well.

This is just one example of how much support and advice new carers need is as individual as their are dogs in foster care.

Please don't be completely turned off by all "rescues". We are not all the same.

Hunt around for one you agree with how they run things, level of support given or even ask on here for recommendations.

As for paying people though, that is pretty funny.

Many of us personally fund rescues out of our pocket (I currently have around 30 foster animals - work out how much money that is x desex/chip/vacc/worm/health check for each and that is without any additional bills, transport etc I personally pay for including one with possible parvo right now and one who just had tibia surgery - see Hollie's separate thread) sometimes even redrawing on my home loan when I get large bills.

So do I have money to left to pay anyone...? No! Am I paid? No! Am I an ill-trained monkey? Hopefully not.

I hope you do hang in there and find the right group for you as it sounds like you have a wealth of knowledge that would be a great rescource for a lucky group to tap into.

Best of luck.

[mita]

I also was recently hurt by a post which I don't think I was supposed to see because I adopted a dog from a breeder and NOT from this rescue group. The comment was if I was so experienced with these breeds why didn't I adopt one of the dogs that needed an experienced home? The point was that the type of dog I wanted DOESN'T end up in rescue because the breeders are very cagie about who their dogs go to

I don't want to go off your main topic, which is about extent of support to foster-carers. But I think you've made an excellent point here.

'Rescue' is double-pronged IMO. And the first step is prevention of dogs getting dumped or passed on to rescue. There's evidence that 'good' registered breeders who socialise their puppies well and are in firm control of litter numbers, actually produce dogs less likely to be dumped/passed on, down the track.

These are the people who, as you say, place their dogs carefully... and are likelier to help with settling in support and to later take back their dogs if necessary. Supporting registered breeders who do all this, is prevention.... as well as setting a good example for how dogs should be bred, raised and homed.

Elsewhere you've mentioned you may consider fostering for an organisation that deals with greyhounds. Couple years back, my tibbie girl 'worked' as a 'tester' small dog for the Greyhound Adoption Program here in Brisbane. I was very impressed with the professionalism of that group, the amazing quality of the greys in the program and the excellent advice & support given to adopting owners. But that was when someone, who also happens to be a DOL'er, was the co-ordinator. I haven't any experience, since then.

I've noticed similar with other rehoming/rescue groups that deal in greyhounds.

Edited September 17, 2012 by mita

[Aphra]

I agree with Andrea on this one. I do understand that you've had a rough experience with fostering, and you've come into the Rescue Forum to have a bit of a rant and share your disappointment. But I am often dismayed by people who have a bad experience with one rescue, and then make the assumption that it's an issue which other rescues should somehow address.

There are hundreds and hundreds of rescue groups, some great, some not-so-great. There are also lots of new rescue groups started up in the last year or so, and clearly many of them are still struggling to learn the ropes.

Are there rescue groups who don't help and support their foster carers? Sure there are. Are there rescue groups who train, mentor and support their foster carers? Sure. And that's no different than any other facet of human society.

I do think that there is a certain element of personality in rescue which turns to rescue because they don't deal well with humans, trouble is, rescue is all about the humans.

It's great that you have taken a breath and found another organisation which might better match your needs and values. I think there's a good lesson in there ... one of the great things about being a volunteer is that you can withdraw your labour at any time and go find someone who will truly value your time and commitment.

What's really important is that if you want to foster, you find a rescue group which shares your values and that you meet the people you are going to be working with, and develop an understanding of them and their goals. If you don't like/approve then there are many other rescue groups which will value your experience. You need to work with people who are a comfortable fit with your own personality and style as well. I've seen lots of working relationships collapse because of a mismatch in personality types.

As for paying foster carers ... in an ideal world maybe, but there would be few, if any, rescue groups with the resources. I'm also a bit wedded to the idea of volunteering as a good, in and of, itself.

Shmoo has written an excellent book on foster caring which you can download from ... somewhere? (big blank here). You could also do the MDBA foster care program and look for a group who is a member of the MDBA, which might help ensure a good fit between your expectations and their ethics.

I hope your next foster care experience goes well.

[OutOfSightHound]

My Comment on paying people wasn't for the Foster Carers it was more for the people who co-ordinate. The Numbers of foster carers the co-ordinator was supposed to manage was huge for an unpaid person which I think contributed to the problems that were occuring with the group I was involved with.

I am going to try again with foster care. I think my experience was probably due to the fact I began helping because my friend asked me and I really think she is a great buddy. I didn't probably get a feel for things like I normally would because of the friend link. My friend is still involved and she knows why I quit and I think she is probably just as disapointed as me. I think her tolerance for extreme views and ability to deal with the more extreme people is much greater than mine.

I have contacted GAP and had a really great talk with the co-ordinator and asked all the questions I didn't last time. I'm looking at getting my first Foster Grey hound in October after spending sometime with a local breeder/racer who is more than willing to give me a bit of experience with his dogs as it will be his dog I will be fostering when it retires at the end of the month.

I think it will be better this time as I did my research and I'm involved with a group that is holding the middle ground between racing and keeping Grey hounds as pets so I've been promised no "Fruit Loops" as extremes at either end are not tolerated by GAP under any circumstances. The co-ordinator assured me it was about giving Greyhounds as Racers a nice retirement but also giving Grey hound Racing a better future because some people believe it is a form of animal cruelty. Though I think not as watching the joy of my own hounds doing Zoomies and lure racing I don't quite believe it is ;-). As with everything there is always good and bad.

So here I go again hopefully I got it right this time!

[mita]

I think it will be better this time as I did my research and I'm involved with a group that is holding the middle ground between racing and keeping Grey hounds as pets so I've been promised no "Fruit Loops" as extremes at either end are not tolerated by GAP under any circumstances. The co-ordinator assured me it was about giving Greyhounds as Racers a nice retirement but also giving Grey hound Racing a better future because some people believe it is a form of animal cruelty. Though I think not as watching the joy of my own hounds doing Zoomies and lure racing I don't quite believe it is ;-). As with everything there is always good and bad.

Certainly the GAP greyhounds I saw being tested, were exceptionally lovely dogs in all ways. In fact, I told the co-ordinator my small 'testing' tibbie didn't seem to be much of a test... because she adored those beautiful natured, calm dogs. Totally accepted each one (though she was about the size of their heads!) and happily ran thro' all the tests with them. It was so funny to see her go trotting/running across the field behind a grey, then beside it... & finally in front. With total confidence.

Only time her tail went down when a new greyhound hove into sight...turned out to be one that hadn't come the usual GAP route. It had come from a shelter & its owners needed an assessment for council approval. And the little dog was right... it was a bit skittish and good advice was given to the owners on handling.

Edited September 17, 2012 by mita

[HazyWal]

My first rescue group was not a pleasant experience and I pulled the pin, not before foster failing twice :) :) so good did come from it. I don't foster anymore but 6 months ago I did foster a grey for a very reputable group and the difference between the two was huge. I hope you enjoy fostering greyhounds, they are divine.

[OutOfSightHound]

I would love to know of other groups people recommend to foster for.

I do realise that not all groups are the same. In my case I think the group was growing way too fast and there was too much effort put into recruiting new foster carers rather than looking after the ones we had. I also feel that too many lovely people who wanted to help but had no idea about the breed and it needs were getting involved without good support and help. I think that watching these people struggle with dogs that were not bad, but were just being what the breed was, and not having the skills to cope was making some carers throw their hands up in dispair and leave. I also felt we should have said NO to some people as lovely as their offer was to help their lifestyle and time space life stuff wasn't really suited to foster care of this breed. It would have been better to pass them onto another rescue group that was looking for foster carers for dogs that suited their lifestyle better.

I really hope that a lot of the new rescue groups out there read stuff on this forum as I have noticed a lot of posts about foster care and whats sorts of dogs are not suitable for rehoming. I know it would be great if we could save every dog but sadly some are victims of pure irresponsibilty on the human side and will never be good pets for anyone

I would really like to see better education of people getting a dog and maybe even a sort of thing where you have to be an active member (ie attend classes) of a dog club to keep one. I know with some breeds you won't get a dog unless you have been a memeber of their breed specific club and attended a certain number of events etc. It would mean better educated dog owners and may prevent the wrong people getting a dog.

[Guest]

I would love to know of other groups people recommend to foster for.

I foster and have successfully helped rehome 8 dogs. I love fostering. The support I get from my rescue group is The Best! I can ask 1,000,000 questions and she will help me every time. As I have 2 dogs of my own already, she helps to find me the 'perfect' foster for my circumstances, so my 2 dogs are not affected or in danger at all.

The group I foster for is in NSW. But not all rescue groups are the same - some have higher morals than other groups.

Good Luck with your search for a great rescue group to foster for. It can be a truly wonderful and rewarding experience.

[kayla1]

My Comment on paying people wasn't for the Foster Carers it was more for the people who co-ordinate. The Numbers of foster carers the co-ordinator was supposed to manage was huge for an unpaid person which I think contributed to the problems that were occuring with the group I was involved with.

Most groups would struggle to find the funds for paid staff.

Yet how else can rescue groups retain people in those roles? Whilst a rescue group may have many volunteers, very few of those are able or willing to commit to a coordinator role. Coordinator roles such as adoptions or carer coordinator are incredibly hard work, and most volunteers would prefer something easier (which is entirely their choice). They also require an enormous time commitment, and for a large rescue group, it is a full-time job - i.e. an unpaid full-time job on top of paid employment, family commitments, own dogs, and own foster dogs. As in the example with the carer coordinator, it's just not sustainable to have someone doing that amount of work on a volunteer basis, in the long-term anyway.

[tdierikx]

The rescue I volunteer and foster for supplies everything needed for my fosters... food, bedding, toys, vetwork, medicines and worming stuff, etc... all I really need to supply is love, a safe environment, and a bit of training.

If I have a pup that needs more professional work, my rescue has access to trainers to help with that - and if a foster should be ill and pass away through no fault of anyone's (it can happen from a bad reaction to worming, vaccination, etc) they have grief counselling available as well. Not to mention 24 hour on call vets who are simply amazing people who never hesitate to drop everything help out on short notice if needed (and at reasonable rates to boot).

All in all, I'm really very happy with the group I'm with... wouldn't swap for the world!

T.

[OutOfSightHound]

Wow! That is amazing! The rescue I was volunteering for only did the basic vet work desex and vaccination. I had to provide everything else including medication if the dog had mange or skin problems! One foster I had came with nothing except a bad case of mange and kennel cough! It was an expensive exercise for me! I also had to put some serious training into this dog as well lucky I didn't need a behaviourist or I would have had to pay for that as well! GAP provides all the dogs needs too so all I have to provide is training and certain experiences (I got a guide book on what's expected) plus the most import thing a bit of love! I also have a 24 hour emergency number if it all goes pear shaped so I'm feeling a lot better about this attempt to foster.

[tdierikx]

I foster puppies up to about 6 months of age - because that is what works best with my own dogs. It is not uncommon for me to have more than one foster pup at a time either. I think I'm now into triple digits for the number of pups I've fostered over the past few years for the rescue I'm with.

I also have peace of mind knowing that if a foster isn't working out (which can also happen despite the best laid plans), it can be taken back to the rescue - we have a shelter environment. I also get to choose who and how many pups I take into care at any given time. I very rarely take on a foster that I haven't had the chance to get to know while it does it's quarantine (if from a pound), or while volunteering at the rescue shelter. My own dogs are also welcome at the shelter, and can freely interact with the dogs/pups there - they also help me choose prospective fosters... *grin*

T.

[Little Gifts]

My rescuer provides all the food and medication for the dogs I foster. I do choose to supplement the kibble with other things I buy myself. I was also given a crate, dog bowl and harness and if I had've needed a bed I'm sure I would've been given that too. While the vet she uses is quite a way from where I live I have had no real emergencies. I did have trouble taking desex stitches out once and chose to go to my own vet for help (which I was prepared to pay for) but my vet is so lovely she took them out for nothing (even she had trouble with one) and also gave me some calendula cream for free for one area that was slightly infected. If I had a true emergency I would call the rescuer on the way to my nearest after hours vet and let her know what I was doing and that I would pay for it. It is her dog but I think she trusts my judgement on what is a true emergency and needs immediate after hours attention and what could be managed overnight until I can arrange to see her vet the next day.

The one cost I'm not sure everyone is prepared for is the damage to your house and property. You have to expect some chewing of furniture (or your favourite shoes!), piddling on carpets and replacement of collars/leashes, doggy blankets and bedding. You also have to expect some injuries to yourself sometimes! If you are truly fussy or like your house in a pristine condition then fostering will probably drive you insane. My laundry constantly looks like a war zone full of dog paraphenalia and I have now become one of those people who has laundry drying on her front verandah for the world to see! Yes all the dog stuff goes out there now on a big clothes horse so the back under cover line is free for human clothes.

[tdierikx]

Good points there PS - the damage a chewy dog can do is quite incredible.

Fortunately for my fosters, they can't really do that much more damage than what my own dogs inflicted on my house when they were pups... *grin*

T.

[OutOfSightHound]

I also was recently hurt by a post which I don't think I was supposed to see because I adopted a dog from a breeder and NOT from this rescue group. The comment was if I was so experienced with these breeds why didn't I adopt one of the dogs that needed an experienced home? The point was that the type of dog I wanted DOESN'T end up in rescue because the breeders are very cagie about who their dogs go to

I don't want to go off your main topic, which is about extent of support to foster-carers. But I think you've made an excellent point here.

'Rescue' is double-pronged IMO. And the first step is prevention of dogs getting dumped or passed on to rescue. There's evidence that 'good' registered breeders who socialise their puppies well and are in firm control of litter numbers, actually produce dogs less likely to be dumped/passed on, down the track.

These are the people who, as you say, place their dogs carefully... and are likelier to help with settling in support and to later take back their dogs if necessary. Supporting registered breeders who do all this, is prevention.... as well as setting a good example for how dogs should be bred, raised and homed.

I'm glad you understand my point. The breed I was fostering has a lot of problems with deafness and blindness due to the fact people like the eye and fur colour associated with a particular gene that also causes the problems. Most unsuspecting people get one from a pet shop or back yard breeder for the looks and then discover their little bundle of joy is deaf or blind and in some horrible cases BOTH! These breeders would know about this as they are breeding the leathal combination for the looks. A good breeder won't do this and will NOT breed two dogs together that carry the genes for this colour. If they get this colour in a litter it will be a one off and the dog will be normal as it will only carry one set of the gene (and not both which is why it's commomly called leathal white). I know how to deal with deaf and blind dogs BUT a this point in time I wont own one as it takes a lot more effort to train and with 2 dogs of my own competing in agility and obedience I didn't want to adopt a 3rd that would take considerably more training and time away from my other dogs.

[Carlo11]

I think this is a worthy topic to discuss.As it is a public forum and other people from the group I am with read this,I cant openly comment.But I am enjoying reading along . . .

[Little Gifts]

See that's wierd to me Carlo because I would say on here what I would say to my rescuer and she is a regular on here as well! Even if we disagreed on something there would at least be a discussion and reasons that went with it. Plus I have to constantly remind myself that these are her dogs and all decisions are ultimately hers because in my effort to be 'helpful' during the adoption process I do sometimes overstep that line.

Being able to have two way communication is so important and the human and dog relationships can only benefit from that.