Fran’s fostering journey
To date in France I have fostered 4 dogs and a mother cat with 4 kittens. I have the space for animals (house, closed garden, tiled floors) and my own three rescue dogs are very warm and welcoming to all strays both 2 and 4 legged. Sadly I do not have enough money to adopt another handful or two of animals, or I would. Fostering helps me bridge the gap between wanting to help everyone and not being able to keep them all.
My First Foster: Milli (2016)
My first foster came in, in 2016, when I had 2 adopted males, brothers, 10 years old. Les Amis were looking for a ‘temporary’ home for a 1 year old Labrador cross while the she recovered from surgery. I said she could come as long as my ‘boys’ did not get too upset – they had lots of local doggy friends but not, usually, in the house. So, I collected Milli, she walked in, met everyone and became the boss from day 1. She was then 17kg – my boys were 32kg and 34kg but she was the boss. I sadly no longer have the boys, but I still have her – she will be 10 this August. (Foster fail 1)
Otter: The Roadside Rescue
Then came Otter – dumped from a car on the main road. Friends that were following the ‘dumper’ picked him up from the layby and brought him to me. He was about 10 month’s old, short-haired pointer. He stayed. He is now 7 years old.
Pookie: My second foster (2020)
Second foster was Noumi (renamed Pookie after Garfield the Cats teddy). I collected her the day before lockdown in 2020. She was about 1 year old, very sick, very pregnant and starving hungry. She had the puppies and over several months we got her fit and well again. She stayed. (Foster fail 2) She is now 6 years old and feisty.
The Feline Fosters: Spit and the Wrecking Balls
Then came a mummy cat and her new kittens. They had to spend the first few weeks in a spare bathroom as they were not, yet, weaned and the kittens were too small to play with big dogs (the dogs were scared of Mum). But, we had so much fun! The mum (should have been) called Spit, because she did, often. The kittens were adorable – 4 little wrecking balls, always ready for games, chases and food. Mum taught them what the litter box was for after they learned that was not a ‘scatter’ toy. I had so many local friends come in to visit so they could play, too. Mum usually hid but the kittens loved all the attention. Thankfully, for me, Les Amis found all 5 of them good homes to go to. First successful foster!
Volcan: The Bruno de Jura (2025)
This year I have fostered Volcan – a Bruno de Jura (hunting dog) and liken him to a cross between Dumbo – big ears, a giraffe – very long legs and a seal – the ‘baying’ noise. He was with me 4 weeks. Micro chipped, vaccinated, wormed (ugh), health checked, almost doubled in weight (he was skinny when he arrived) Learned to walk on and then off lead, to only eat out of HIS bowl i.e. not ‘steal’ from the others, to come when called. Toilet training was quick – he soon learned outside made me happier than mopping floors. He loved car rides, and romping through the local fields but was not too keen on the vet. He was very well behaved there, and they loved him too. After 4 weeks a lovely couple some 5 hours away from me saw his profile, fell in love and we started the process of hand-over. I made sure they had a few days worth of the food he was used to, his favourite toy and ‘his’ bed. The handover was very smooth and I get regular updates on his progress – He now does agility training each week and walks his new Dad to the bar…
Nessie: Tiny but Mighty
Second foster this year was a tiny scrap called Vanessa (Nessie). I have recently heard she is a French bulldog / Brittany spaniel cross. She was dumped in someone’s garden on a cold night. Thankfully they heard her and sheltered her for the night before she went to Les Amis, then me. She was 2.6kg and about 8 weeks old when I got her (my smallest dog ever – I am more used to 26kg!) She knew nothing. A blank page… lots of training, getting used to my dogs and their friends, playing, lead training, toilet training, sharing toys and beds, Not sharing food bowls.. Very, very rewarding to see this little one who knew nothing when she came, be ready to go to her new Dad just 6 weeks later, more than doubled in size, clean, dry, she knew about 30 words (including No). I was happy for her to run and play off lead because she had excellent recall. So, third successful foster and I will take in others after my holiday in June.
- I can foster – and let go – animals to give them a brilliant start from neglected, abandoned souls to someone’s happy-go-lucky pets.
- I don’t crate train – not because there is anything wrong with crates, just in my house all the dogs would be cramming in together and there are not any crates big enough. They all share space and beds quite happily.
- My dogs love the ‘surprise’ when I come back with a new friend in the car and after a day or so of sulking, go back to the normal routine when the ‘new friend’ leaves again.
- I find I am even less bothered about a clean, tidy house. Dog beds and tiled floors are all washable. Fur comes up with the vacuum and my garden recovers (mostly) from the new digging patch and judicious use of the pooper scooper.
- One extra mouth to feed does not stretch my limited budget too far and, of course, Les Amis pays all the foster dogs’ vet fees.
- I finally fully retired from work last year (I still do admin for people at home…) so I can be here certainly all of the first few days then teach the newbie that I sometimes go out but I always come back – my own dogs help with that.
- Fostering is really rewarding, and often messy and sometimes annoying, too, but it can make such a difference, just one dog (or cat) at a time. I would recommend if you have the time, a regular routine, and the space, and can be home as much as possible, at least in the beginning, you will, like all teaching experiences, learn so much yourself. And it’s fun!
