Foster families are the driving force behind Clancy’s Dream. Without foster families, we would not be able to save the lives of Border Collies in need. Our ability to save lives is completely dependent on the number of available foster homes. Every foster home can mean not just one but two lives saved: the dog being rescued from a shelter, and another dog for whom space opens up in the shelter.
“ We like to foster dogs to help dogs without homes find better homes and teach them what it’s like to be loved and respected. And fostering lots of dogs helps us understand all dogs, even our own, better.”
Fostering is work of the heart and it’s not always easy, but it is always meaningful & rewarding. “Just until you find your feet” is a memorable quote from the movie “Babe” when the Border Collie mom named Fly took in the little pig Babe. This is what foster families do for a needy dog. They help a dog to feel safe, to grow, to learn about love and happiness and find their place in the world. It’s an experience like nothing else.
Reasons to Foster for Clancy’s Dream
It helps us learn more about the dog so she can be placed in a well-matched home.
You help socialize the dog in a loving home.
You get to enjoy a dog’s companionship without a lifetime commitment or expenses.
You help a dog overcome the stress of being in a shelter or being abandoned.
You literally save a life
“People always feel like they want to make a difference and don’t know how. Once we took a chance and fostered our first dog it became clear how our family can help make life better for others. Fostering gives us the ability to offer dogs a loving home to decompress and understand there is a better life awaiting them. To save a dog from a high kill shelter and to offer it a quiet fluffy bed to sleep in, instead of a crowded concrete kennel, is something you have to experience, to understand how magical it is to bring life and hope back into a dog’s eyes.”
The most common questions asked:
Why did that dog end up in the shelter? Does it have major behavioral issues?
There can be many reasons that a dog finds itself in a shelter. It could be irresponsible pet ownership and the dog is basically homeless and roaming the streets for food/shelter but there are often economic issues with the family and they can no longer afford to care for their pet. Possibly the family did not understand the commitment to own a pet or maybe they did not fully understand the spirit & drive of the Border Collie. Clancy’s Dream has many times rescued dogs living their life on a chain. We approach the owner with kindness, offering to give the dog a better life. Ironically, dogs coming from some of the worst living situations end up to be the BEST dogs.
“They are just so grateful to have a home.”
To address any behavioral issues, we go through a series of temperament testing and a health evaluation on all the dogs we help in shelters or who are relinquished directly from owners. It is our duty to protect our foster families and the public.
FAQ About Fostering
What is fostering like?
Each foster experience is unique and is tailored to your needs as well as your foster dogs. You may foster an adult dog that is house trained, socialized, and well-behaved. Or you may foster a puppy who needs basic training, like housebreaking and socializing. Another dog may have some behavioral issues or be scared of its own shadow and needs confidence. An older dog may need medication or just a place to enjoy their senior life. Fostering experiences are as varied as the dogs, but we will do our best to match your foster dog(s) to your family and lifestyle.
What are my responsibilities as a foster?
You will need to provide your foster dog with food, water, a safe place to stay, lots of love, exercise, and in some cases training. We ask that you treat your foster dog like you would treat your own while providing love, guidance, and training to increase his or her adoptability.
Clancy’s Dream wants to make sure every dog we rescue never needs rescue again. We do our absolute best to ensure each and every dog is placed in a loving forever home that is well matched to his/her new family’s lifestyle, activity level, and environment. We rely on our foster families to provide information on their foster dog’s temperament, likes/dislikes, special needs/issues and more to ensure the dog’s proper placement into a forever home.
What support does Clancy’s Dream offer?
We will assist you throughout the entire fostering process and you may contact the Foster Director at any time. If crates, leashes, collars, toys, training, behavior recommendations, etc. are needed, we will work with you to provide them. Clancy’s Dream pays for vet expenses and will pre-arrange most visits.
How long does a foster placement last?
Typically, dogs are adopted in one month or less. Some fosters (typically adorable puppies and older issue-free dogs) may be adopted very quickly. Other dogs, especially those that are older, have special needs or behavioral issues, may take several months to be matched to their perfect forever homes.
Can I set restrictions on the kind of dog I am willing to foster or the time of year I foster?
Yes! You can foster on your schedule as little or as much as you want. You may also specify the type of dog you want to foster. If for some reason your foster dog is not a good fit for your household, we will transfer them to another home.
What is “Foster to Adopt”?
Our Foster to Adopt program is great for those folks ultimately interested in adopting a dog, but we may not currently have a suitable match for them in rescue. We would look for a potential match from the dogs waiting to come into rescue, then ask you to foster the dog for at least two weeks. During those two weeks, you get to spend time with the dog and determine whether you’d like to adopt, making it a permanent situation. After two weeks of fostering, should you decide your foster dog isn’t a great fit as a permanent addition to your family, we will post the dog as available for adoption and work to find him/her a forever home.
“Before every dog that we have fostered I had a feeling that it would not work and I might not be able to do it. In hours or days, the dog is in my lap, looking for much-needed love and all fears that I would be a failure vanishes.”
“Fostering is both rewarding and satisfying. You open your home to a stranger, who in most cases have been hurt in some way, either emotionally and/or physically. Every dog has its story. What we try to do for our foster dog is to make sure that can forget its past life. They will only know joy and happiness with their new family. As fosters seeing that joyous transformation makes it all worth it!”