The Rewards of Fostering an Animal in Need
By: Kristen Haltermann (Infinite Woofs Foster)

Fostering has made such a positive impact on my life. As an animal lover, it’s my way to give back and say thanks to the foster homes that have come before me. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have my two dogs, and they are my whole world!

For all the potential foster homes out there, I can say that taking that leap was one of the best choices I ever could’ve made. Whether the animal is a cat, dog, hamster, lizard, or bird, you are giving these animals a second chance at life: A happy life. Without us, often, these animals are discarded, ignored, and left to fend for themselves, to hunt for food, water, and shelter from the elements and wildlife predators. I can’t even imagine a world where my dogs lived in those same conditions without me. I think any animal lover would agree that that thought alone gives you a sinking feeling in your chest.

Partnering with IWARS as a foster home was my way of making a difference.

When you bring an IWARS animal into your care, the rescue provides everything you need at zero cost to you. They provide the food, toys, medical care, litter, crates, or anything else the animal might need. All you are doing is providing a safe environment for them and giving them the love and affection that they desperately crave until they find their forever family. Even as someone who works full time, a dog being in a crate while I am at work, in a safe and loving home with a consistent source of food and water, is always better than surviving out in the frigid temperatures of Canadian winter. I’m on my seventh foster dog, and I can tell you wholeheartedly that the rewards of what we do by opening our homes make all the difference.

I’ve had the opportunity to watch my fosters change from a survival state into the loving family pets they were always meant to be. To become privy to inside life with a couch and toys and someone to cuddle with. All these animals want is to love and be loved in return. I often stay in contact with the forever families of my fosters and receive photo updates of them and their lives. Watching them grow and live and flourish gives you some of the most heartwarming emotions you can have. Knowing you saved a life that would not have made it without you? It’s a sense of love and purpose I wish I could accurately put into words.

My advice to you is to take the leap. Make the difference. You’ll have the support of a whole community every step of the way, and you will grow yourself in ways that will change who you are for the better.

To foster and help an animal in need, fill out and submit an application here:
https://infinitewoofs.com/our-cats/cat-foster-homes-needed/
https://infinitewoofs.com/our-dogs/dog-foster-homes-needed/
https://infinitewoofs.com/our-small-animals/small-animal-foster-homes-needed/

Please give what you can during this holiday season to IWARS Click here to donate.