Loreley Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Hi All OMG, Terah was my second foster, the first having failed and stayed with us. After 2 weeks of advertising with absolutely no nibbles, out of the blue came not one but two definite enquiries. We met a lovely family today with a young son who were just perfect. It broke my heart to say good bye, but I knew that she would be in the perfect place and deserves a chance to have that How can something feel so good and so bad at the same time I think hubby is fairing worse than me not sure if he would cope if we did this regularly poor softy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loreley Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 Good luck sweetheart, not that you'll need it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Avanti* Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Congrats. It is hard letting go but made easier knowing you have found a good forever home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 This is why I don't think I could foster. I'd just keep them all! Take solace in the fact that you have made a big difference to her life :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 My way of coping is knowing that the new forever family will be able to provide the fosters something I can't. It may be they have kids (I don't) or they might live near the beach or have their own business so they can take the dog to work with them everyday. There is always something. It also helps that pei tend to pick their new family (rather than the other way around). I have seen them exhibit totally new behaviours in front of their new family right from the minute they arrive. It always amazes me. And every foster leaves here with a little piece of my heart. I am lucky that there is really only one I don't still get to see on FB or in real life because once you get a Peiradise dog you become part of a big family. I think it is incredibly rewarding despite the tears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 It's always hard to let them go - they often come in lost and unsure. We love, cuddle, feed, train, vet and reassure them that life is good.. Then we say goodbye.. It took me a while after my last one to take another on (I have just taken a new one on) because I really wanted to keep her but I knew that if I did, I could never help another.. Foster carers are in such high demand, there really are so few of us compared to the amount of dogs that need a foster carer.. I think it will always be hard but it is so rewarding seeing that happy confident dog go to a new home.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loreley Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 I watched this woman's 2 year old son approach Terah with such glee , they were eye to eye lol. Terah very very gently stuck out her tongue and gave him the gentlest kiss. It was the most beautiful thing I have seen, that was the point that I had decided that I needed to let her go. Oh yes she will definitely be taking a piece of my heart with her, but the relationship she will have with this child is something worth breaking my heart for. I couldn't wish for a better home for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikira Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Exactly the reason that we don't feel as though we could foster, Hugs to you and your hubby, and congratulations on Terah finding her family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9angel Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 I watched this woman's 2 year old son approach Terah with such glee , they were eye to eye lol. Terah very very gently stuck out her tongue and gave him the gentlest kiss. It was the most beautiful thing I have seen, that was the point that I had decided that I needed to let her go. That's beautiful Loreley. No doubt that little boy and Terah will grow up to be the best of friends. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 (edited) Because if someone told you how much it would hurt, you'd never have agreed to foster in the first place! :laugh: I know exactly how you feel, we've got our fourth little foster here at the moment, so I'm pretty new to it too. Our first foster stayed with us for almost 6 months, during which time we had a giant total of ONE application, which was totally unsuitable. Apart from that, not a bite until the perfect application came along. When I dropped him off at his new home, I had to pull into every single petrol station I passed because I was sobbing and blubbering so much I couldn't even see properly to drive. It was just so hard, and after that long he was so perfectly settled in at our house - letting him go was devastating. I still choke up when I think of him sometimes (he was rehomed in March), and I get a lump in my throat every time I go past the contact lens in a pharmacy, because I had to buy drops for him every week for 6 months, and seeing all the drops just makes me think of him. I don't know that it gets easier, just that you get more accustomed to the feeling of saying goodbye. Getting updates from their new families is great too - all of our ex-fosters are in awesome families who keep in regular contact, one who facebooks, calls and texts me pics of her little guy all the time, and gives me weight loss progress updates :laugh: . That is the most rewarding thing. I could so, so easily have kept our first foster, and also our third one, and the one we have right now - god he is amazing, I have to stop myself getting completely attached because he's just the perfect little dog. He fit in so wonderfully here within a second of walking into the house. He went up for adoption this week and I'm torn between wanting him to get adopted right now, because that will stop me falling for him even more, and wanting him to stay with us for months and months, because I love having him. I can't win!! I just keep telling myself that if we kept him, we couldn't foster. And there are just so many dogs that need a leg up in the world, that if we can help just a few each year it's worth it. So as long as we can keep doing this, I'll keep sucking it up and letting them go on to their forever homes :) Edited July 13, 2013 by Alkhe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lollipup Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 I know the feeling. At least you know she went to a great home. I have had some that I knew would have been better off elsewhere and I didn't have a say. It's hard. Every time we foster, OH says no more fostering! Then in time, we do it all over again. The last one was very hard though. My OH cried when she left. She was so happy, thought we were taking her out for a walk but it was to go to people picking her up out the front. And she didn't go to a great home like she should have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Good luck sweetheart, not that you'll need it What a beautiful, loving dog. No wonder she instantly stole her new owners' hearts. You & your family got her to the point where she could....so easily. It does break your heart. But knowing that the ex-foster (!) will now go on to have a special new life, just tailored to fit perfectly.... helps mend, a bit. I love looking at the After Adoption pics on sites like AWL Qld & PetRescue. Pure gold shines out of them. One currently on Pet Rescue, shows a dear little boy, about 3 1/2 with his arm gently around his well-settled in best friend... a staffy called Odie. They look like a pair of old men who've been friends all their lives. That's exactly the kind of relationship your lovely girl is going to.... started already, with that kiss. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry's Mum Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 I have cried after handing over every Koolie I have fostered but if you are lucky the new owners stay in touch and send you photos showing the dog in the centre of their new family and you know it was the best possible thing for the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Congratulations on finding your foster the perfect home :) We have rescued on and off for years and it doesn't get any easier but over time you learn ways to deal with it. We have a rescue here that is going off to his new home on Thursday, they are a wonderful family with a young daughter and a similar type dog as a playmate, our boy took to them straight away he even went and had a sleep over before they decided. I am having a few mixed emotions but I know he will have a more suitable life than he has with us. I have it a little easier because many of my ex rescues come back to me for grooming which is awsome, some of them also spend the whole day with me so they can have a play with myself and my dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 If it didn't hurt just a bit when each one leaves, then you aren't doing it right... *grin* As I foster pups, it can be very hard to say goodbye to the little souls that I've helped mould the personalities of, etc... but the big reward is seeing those well adjusted and confident little buggers trot off happily with their new families and knowing that they will be loved very much for their whole lives. That said - I do have TWO foster failures here... hehe! T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keetamouse Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 My first foster dog was with me for 11 months, not really what you want for your first, he went to a friend of mine in Yass and I cried all the way home to Queanbeyan. Every time I went to the pound I just burst into tears. The best piece of advice I got was from Raelene in ARF which was " just think of it that the dog is not yours, you are just looking after it for it's new home" that was the turning point for me and over 450 dogs in 13 years I still get the warm feeling all over again knowing they are going to have a great life one that I can't give them. Maree CPR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I know the feeling. At least you know she went to a great home. I have had some that I knew would have been better off elsewhere and I didn't have a say. It's hard. Every time we foster, OH says no more fostering! Then in time, we do it all over again. The last one was very hard though. My OH cried when she left. She was so happy, thought we were taking her out for a walk but it was to go to people picking her up out the front. And she didn't go to a great home like she should have. Well, that doesn't sound right at all, Lollipup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loreley Posted July 14, 2013 Author Share Posted July 14, 2013 Received an update this morning, that she is doing well. I' sure I knew on some level that she wasn't meant to stay even though we would be happy enough if that was the case. She was definitely meant for this family. Fingers crossed all goes well for them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now