www.TheNewBarker.com 42 THE NEW BARKER Fostering a dog or cat in most counties across Florida has never been easier and it remains one of the most important ways for shelters and rescues to save lives. Like foster pets, every foster family is unique and you may be surprised to find that your home is perfect for a foster pet. MEDICAL FOSTER. “Hit by a car; may lose his leg; no identi- fication.”Those words from Officer Steve Bell of Manatee County Animal Services brought Tucker into my life. Tucker is a small Terrier, mostly Chihuahua, with something wonderful mixed in. Poor Tucker spent several days in a crate in my living room with a cone around his neck so he would leave his stitches alone. We petted and cooed at him,lifted him up and tenderly carried him outside to pee or poo. Dino, our big Doberman, became a surrogate mother, constantly checking in on him.Tucker’s leg healed and soon the dogs were playing together, with Tucker standing on my bed, nipping the air in front of Dino’s long nose. Six weeks later, it was time to find him a forever home.As soon as they saw him, it was a no brainer for my friends Lisa and Guy, who have provided Tucker with an amazing life. FEED AND GROW. Life had slowed down, giving me time for a project. Something worthwhile but short-term. Then, I got the phone call about the kittens.Three kittens, (shown in the photo below) each weighing only about one pound, needed short term foster care. I call it “feed and grow.” My upstairs bath- room with the heavy shower door became their playroom. Litter box in shower, door cracked, toys and scratch tower — an instant cat room. It was so fun playing with them every day. If you haven’t spent time playing with kittens lately, you are missing one of life’s great amusements. By the time they were eight weeks old and up to two and a half pounds, the kittens were ready for their new homes. TOO SHY TO THRIVE. Our shelters are full of terrified dogs and cats whose chances of adoption are slim. They cower in corners, avoiding eye contact and shake with fear in the noisy environment.Some,like Franklin,a hand- some Lab/Hound mix, exhibit signs of abuse and are terrified of men. Franklin was lucky because a wonderful foster fam- ily took him home. He quickly bonded with their two Golden Retrievers and cat. With time and patience, Franklin learned to trust the man of the house. Today, Franklin is a well-adjusted dog living with his forever family. MUTUAL BENEFITS. When shelter volunteer John decided to foster he began gradually. On Friday, he would pick up an older shelter dog named Mr.Tuff and each Monday orTuesday,he’d bring Mr.Tuff back.He rather enjoyed liv- ing alone but wanted to give Mr. Tuff some one-on-one time, to learn more about him and help him find a forever home.Although Mr.Tuff had been rather withdrawn in the noisy and crowded shel- ter environment, after several weekend visits, he began to flourish and it wasn’t long before he became fast friends with all the neighbors and their dogs. Despite his initial reservations, John realized that Mr. Tuff had become part of his family. John adopted Mr.Tuff and proudly calls himself a “foster failure.” Open Your Heart for a Little While. Make a Difference, Forever. True Foster Tales by Debra Starr Tucker goes everywhere with his new forever family, including hiking in Alaska. Franklin even has his own Facebook page, Franklin the Fabulous, documenting his journey.