Fostering a dog can be the most rewarding aspect of rescue – it can also be the most difficult. Some dogs are not in good condition when they come into rescue – the emotional and physical scars can be hard to witness. As a foster home, you have the responsibility (with support) of evaluating and rehabilitating your foster dog. It is not always easy to nurse a dog through an illness or help it to overcome behavioral issues. Bonding is an important part of this recovery process, and that’s what makes the final outcome in some ways the hardest part of rescue – when your foster dog is ready to be placed and the time comes to say goodbye and send your dog to its adoptive home. Not everyone has the emotional fortitude to do this – this is why many people end up adopting their foster dogs! But the need continues, and good people continue to step forward to lend a helping hand to cairns in need. Foster homes are the heart of any rescue program, rescue truly would not be able to exist unless people are willing to open their hearts and homes. We hope you will consider volunteering to foster for the Cairn Rescue League. We offer support throughout the fostering process. We take care to match you with a dog that will fit into your household. We are always available to answer any questions you might have. Pre-approved expenses will be paid directly or reimbursed. And when your dog is ready to be placed, we value your input into the placement process. You will have the opportunity to review applications as they are received, and we would like you to have at least one conversation with the potential adoptive home. You know your foster dog best – you are the person who is best able to answer any questions, and you are the best judge as to whether the potential home would be a good match for your dog. We encourage our foster homes to stay in touch with their foster’s adoptive home, as long as the adoptive home is willing. Yes, fostering is a responsibility, but it is a labor of love. There really is nothing more rewarding than knowing that your foster cairn has gone on to the loving home it so richly deserves – watching the dog you have nurtured so carefully really come into its own. Please consider filling out a foster home application. We need you!