We have a very high energy border collie named Max. I love him to bits and we have had him since he was 8 weeks old. There are times, especially in the morning, when I thought...I wish we had another dog for him to play with so I can eat my breakfast in peace. But we didn't want another dog all the time. When I learned about PIF, my partner and I discussed it and decided to give it a try. Both of us feel strongly that giving a puppy or dog good stable home, with love, food, a sibling to play with and a snooty cat to sniff is a really important thing to do and are pleased to be able to do it. Max loves having them and is a great big brother. We get puppy snuggles and lots of amusement from watching them play. And, we know they are being prepared to go to a good home. I love how much screening PIF does for their placements. We have our third foster right now, and he is adorable. I forget from one time to the next how frustrating the house-training can be...but at least whoever is the lucky adopter of the dog will get one that is pretty much housetrained.

We plan to continue to foster and get out to as many of the events as we can. We both feel really lucky that we have the kind of home, jobs and schedules that permit us to foster.  

 -Gaelene A.

"Why I Foster----

I am a dog person. I love dogs. I have had dogs as part of my family growing up. It seemed like a natural thing that I had the ability and means to do.

I was a foster fail with my second dog. I am still fostering now as it also helps in my own adopted dog to socialize given the conditions he has endured before he was rescued. I have fostered Lilo, Kai, Murphy, Daphne, Indy, Keebo, Hooch and Missy. I still find solace that I enjoy each and every one of these dogs. I have learned a lot from them and their different personalities and uniqueness they bring. I hope I bring them much memories and joy as they have brought me.

The dogs become part of our routine. They get attached. We get attached. They start to trust. They bond. They become protective. They learn to be more secure. They learn to feel safe. I gain something from each dog as they give me something back. They snuggle, they cuddle, they learn, they give you that look with their big eyes and they melt your heart. Having to let go when they find their forever home is hard. To stand by to hear and see what is in news and how some dogs have been treated and knowing that they deserve better is more difficult. I foster so that they have that chance to be adopted by a family or someone that really wants them and will love them. I foster so they can go to that better place and know I have made a small contribution to that happy ending. I started fostering to have an impact on a dog's life and continue to foster as they have an impact on my life."

- Jane L.

"I was asked today why I foster, how I can love something so much and let it go.

I foster because every dog deserves a home. Even if it's only temporary, every dog should have a safe place to land. Some of these dogs have never felt warmth, never had a full belly, never laid on a soft bed or played with a toy. Some have never even been pet, which is blasphemous - dogs were put on this earth to be pet!

I foster because every dog deserves to know what it feels like to be loved. Some of these dogs come to us having been hurt and neglected, having experienced horrific things at the hands of humans. And yet, more often than not they look to us with trust and provide us with unconditional loyalty and love - something I think we humans could learn a thing or two about...

I foster because every dog deserves a chance to find their forever family. I'm not saying it's easy to let them go. It's hard and I miss them and I ugly cry. But knowing that they have gone off to start their life with the perfect person makes it much easier to hand over the leash. It may make for ugly crying, but they're happy tears. I foster because I can.  And maybe you should too."

-Jessica L.