The Foster Interview

Fosters are the lifeline of our charity. They help us by giving refuge to the most vulnerable dogs who would not survive in the pound, or dogs whose adoption breaks down and need a place between forever homes. All our fosters have shown amazing compassion, love patience and resilience. They take on dogs sometimes at very short notice and help them when they need it most.

Today we feature Rachel and Dave who took on Murcia, now Nell as a foster whilst we look for a forever home for her. They are providing Nell with the love, training and hope she needs whilst she waits for her forever home.

This is what Rachel has to say on becoming a foster mum to one of our dogs.

SSDUK: How did you hear about Spanish Stray Dogs UK?

Rachel: We first met Spanish Stray Dogs when we were blessed to have Bob the podenco maneto enter our lives. He had been adopted by a colleague and needed a bit more outdoor space in his life, and for 6 years he taught us about recovery, joy, trust, love and being a goofball.

What made you become a foster?

Sadly, Bob died in December 2019 and we found ourselves with spare love and time that we would have previously spent on him. We wanted to foster in honour of Bob, in the hope of making something up to the beautiful dogs who have not had the respect and love they deserve.

How many foster dogs have you helped?  And what is the maximum number of dogs that you have had at any one time?

Nell is our first and solo foster.

What are the main issues that foster dogs exhibit on arrival to you?  

Nell had previously been adopted but was not getting on well with established dogs in that household and the decision was made to remove Nell from the stress of that situation. As a result of feeling that she needs to defend herself, Nell is reactive to other dogs that invade her space and that do not recognise her signals and movements to seek more space. She was a bit boisterous when she first came but she has responded really well to training to make this more manageable! Other than these issues she is a complete joy – playful, funny, affectionate and adaptable.

Why do you think it is important to foster and what do you like most about it?

Rescue organisations do amazing work, but their task is huge. Although we are not in a position to make the long term commitment to adoption, we can offer our support as a temporary haven where a dog can be safe and cared for, and hopefully guide them towards their forever home. The thing we like most is having the companionship of a dog and being in the presence of their genuine nature.

Which foster dog do you remember with special affection and why?

Although she is our first foster, I can imagine that Nell will leave a big impression on us. Despite all of her energy she is great at chilling out and has the most awesome habit of melting her body onto you for cuddles!

Have you got your own dogs? How do they cope every time a new foster arrives? 

We don’t have our own dogs, but those we know from walks are getting used to the new face. Their kind humans are supporting us with controlled exposure to their dogs by making each interaction positive. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions have affected how much and where we can socialise Nell but we’ll worry about that later!

What advice would you give to a new foster?

Take your time to get to know each other without pressure or expectation. Seek trustworthy advice. Communicate often with SSD. Make sure you have sufficient brainspace and time to meet all of your combined needs!

What is your happiest memory involving a dog, foster or owned?

There are so many! Bob was very scared when he arrived with us, and it was hard to imagine him trusting us enough to live in our human world. Happiest memories come from the times we could see him becoming relaxed and enjoying himself – running and playing with other dogs off lead, successfully walking through doorways (this was his biggest challenge in life), when he initiated playing with us and offering up his belly for pats.

 When you are not fostering dogs what is your favorite pastime?

Without dogs of our own we invade our friends’ dog walks and offer frequent dogsitting! We enjoy seeking a balance between time spent at the pub and time exercising to offset this.

Thank you to Rachel and Dave for fostering Nell. What a great job they are doing!

If you want to become a foster for Spanish Stray Dogs UK, please contact us, so you can help the dogs that need it most.