What you need to know about fostering a dog or cat

Pet ownership has gone through the woof during COVID, with more people having time to care for cats and dogs while spending time at home.

If you've never owned a pet, fostering one might seem like a good way to test the waters. You bring home a cat or a dog for a short period, knowing that you're not going to be their forever home.

But it's not a decision to be taken lightly, and someone who knows all about this is Fiona Brown, a foster care coordinator at ACT Rescue and Foster Inc (also known as ARF).

Fiona has a dog called Quinn, and since the start of 2020, she and Quinn have been foster carers to 11 dogs (not all at once; the most they had at one time was three).

"As an organisation that's trying to rehome dogs so they can have a new future, it's not an ideal situation to match people with no pet experience to dogs from the pound," she says.

"Dogs from the pound and surrender dogs have usually been through some sort of stress, neglect or trauma, and may have behavioural issues initially.

"I wouldn't recommend that situation for people who've never had a dog."

According to Fiona, fostering should really be motivated by a desire to help the dog, while knowing that it's not going to all be plain sailing.

"You can't just stop a dog from being upset and traumatised by patting it a lot and letting it on the lounge," she says.

Instead, foster dogs, which are often pups at eight or nine months who have been treated with benign neglect (for example, who haven't experienced being on a leash) need boundaries, patience, love, discipline and looking after.

Much happiness, however, can result for both the animal and the foster carers when the match is right.

Fostering cats and dogs during a pandemic

Holly Creenaune and her wife Randi Irwin in Sydney's Dulwich Hill transitioned to work from home in their apartment when COVID hit.

"Suddenly, we were actually in a position to foster animals," says Holly.

The couple had not owned pets before COVID, but since March last year, through the RSPCA they have fostered a litter of three kittens (Elton, Cannondale, and Malika), and most recently two dogs (Daphne and Dinkley).

Holly says it's been a real joy to foster pets for two to four weeks at a time during a pandemic.

"Being around small animals in need of love has been a really welcome break from work and doomscrolling. It's pretty satisfying to take rescue animals and support them to have a calm space so they can develop core skills and put on weight.

"The longer they stayed, the harder it was to say goodbye."

For them, it was also an economical way of having animals stay with them.

"When you pick up the animals, they have been seen by a vet, and have had their first vaccinations. We were also provided flea treatment or worm tablets. There were no medical costs and we were given a big bag of food, so we were not really out of pocket," says Holly.

For those considering fostering animals, Holly says to give it a go.

"It's a really fun and satisfying to play a significant role in an animal's life."

What should I do instead of fostering animals?

If you're looking for other ways to test whether full-time pet ownership is for you, Fiona Brown has some suggestions.

"Volunteer to take your family or friend's dog for a couple of walks a week, and volunteer to pet sit when they're out of town, so you can take care of a dog you know in your own home."

"This is especially good if you have kids, so they have the experience of learning that you can't touch a dog all the time."

At the end of the day, it's about thinking of what you can give to an animal as part of a long-term relationship, she says.

"Puppies are cute, but it really is something you need to think of as part of your family," says Fiona.