Without Foster Families, We Have No
Rescue
Good Karma is
a foster-based rescue. That means every single dog in our rescue lives in
a foster home. Not one is in boarding or left at an office. We
firmly believe that each dog deserves the time and love of a foster home until
they are adopted.
This also
means we depend on volunteers to open up their homes to love and train these
dogs until they are adopted. It isn't always easy. It isn't always
fun. But it is ALWAYS worth it. To save the life of a dog that
didn't have any time left. One that would have been euthanized had we not
been able to take into rescue.
BE A HERO!!!
We at Good
Karma are proud of the work we do... but we want to do better. We want to
save more. Want to become part of the Army? Want to be a Warrior to
save more dogs? We provide the vetting and supplies, you supply the love
and the home. Check us out and apply to foster at http://www.goodkarmamn.org/foster.html
Meet some of
our foster heroes and what fostering is like for them:
Greta- 2017 Volunteer of the year
Greta lives
with her husband Alan the Disc Golfer, their adult son Brett the Poker Player,
along with resident pets Spike the grumpy Chihuahua, Benji the patient Toy
Poodle, and their cat Snoopy the foster dog whisperer. Greta the Goal Crusher
loves learning new skills. After she learned to swim and completed a triathlon,
she set her sights on fostering dogs as her next endeavor. In March 2016, she
signed her family up to foster for Good Karma.
Here is what
she has to say about fostering:
My favorite
thing about fostering is meeting the dog. I have such anticipation and
excitement about the dog I’ll pick up. It’s a thrill not knowing much at all
about a dog, having no expectations, and then the dog almost always being so
loving and sweet right off the bat. Having gone through the stress of
shelter life, abandonment, worry. Then just taking a chance on me being kind
and helpful. Trusting that things will be better now. Amazing. The few shy or
anxious foster dogs we’ve picked up have ended up being some of my favorites to
watch relax and blossom over time.
The easiest
part of fostering is enjoying the different dogs I get to meet. I get such
happiness from petting them, talking to them, playing with them, cuddling with
them.
The hardest
part is integrating our fosters with our resident dogs. Our resident dogs don’t
like playful dogs. Our dogs are older and small and just like to have their own
space. We do very slow introductions and sometimes can get to the point of
peaceful coexistence, but sometimes we don’t. When they can’t mingle, those are
the hardest times of fostering as we have to divide human attention.
No family has the
*perfect situation* for fostering dogs. Every foster parent has some
things to figure out, a few scenarios to plan for, a couple worries to allay,
in order to say YES to fostering a dog. I know successful fosters from
all walks of life. College students living in apartments. Women married
to hesitant husbands. People without fenced-in yards that must always
leash for pee walks. Single millennials who travel often. Families
with super grumpy resident dogs (yours truly)...and everything in
between.
Perfect
doesn't exist in fostering; life does.
No person can
say "nothing about my life has to change when I foster a dog".
But every person can say "that dog lived because I made some changes in my
life to foster a dog".
Ann Marie
Our household
currently consists of me and my husband Mark. We have two adult daughters who
come home occasionally to get their doggie fixes. I started
fostering in January 2015, so I just celebrated my 3rd year as a
foster parent! So far, I have fostered 37 precious dogs!
The easiest
part of fostering is just being with the dogs; giving them love and attention
and teaching them how to be part of our family.
The hardest
part of fostering is the last few days I have the dog before they go to their
new family. I’m mentally preparing myself to say goodbye and spending those
last few days cuddling with them and letting them know how much I love them.
All of the sadness goes away though on the day of the adoption when I see how
happy that family is to bring that dog into their home.
Fostering is
one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Each dog I bring into my
home is amazing and is deserving of a second chance. Fostering has even helped
my own dogs become more socialized and accepting of new dogs and people. I
can’t imagine not doing this!
Molly
I live with my
two roommates, Kalley and Grace. We have fostered for about 4 months now. We
live in an apartment by a local University.
The easiest
part about fostering is how responsive people on the organizational side are so
we don't have to worry much about that part and are able to focus more on
spending time with our foster. :)
The hardest
part is keeping up with all of the information GK provides to foster parents!
Fostering has
been one of our best decisions to do this school year! We love getting to know
the personalities of each dog.
Maribel
Who is in your household? Myself,
my boyfriend and our dog Carlos.
How long have you fostered? Since
2014
What is the easiest part of
fostering? Aside from the obvious (cuddling the dogs, loving them, playing with
them), I find the easiest thing about fostering to be getting the dogs what
they need get them as healthy as can be. Since Good Karma provides me with everything
I need—quality food and treats, veterinary care, preventative medication and
even toys and other supplies—I never have to worry about the essentials which
means I can focus even more on the emotional support the dog needs.
What is the
hardest part of fostering? The hardest part of fostering for me is knowing that
there are SO MANY other animals out there that need to be saved. It's
overwhelming and challenges my spirit at times, but it's a reminder that every
time I get the opportunity to send a foster off to his or her new family, I can
save another. So, while some people might think letting go of the fosters is
the hardest part, I find sending them off to their new family one of the best
parts.
JOIN THE ARMY!
As you can see, fostering isn't always easy, but it is definitely worth it! Think you want to choose to foster and be a part of the Good Karma Army? To learn more about fostering and apply with Good Karma Animal Rescue, go to http://www.goodkarmamn.org/foster.html
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