Back to Blog

Final Fosters: Tips for a Successful Experience

July 13, 2020🞄

Fostering is a family endeavor. All members of the family need to be ready for the responsibility of taking care of the pets and placing them with new adoptive families. This can be an emotional time for family members (especially children), so spend time talking with them and helping them understand how they are making an impact in this pet’s life.

Final Fosters: What Are They, And How Can You Be Prepared?

We all know that no two animals are alike; the same can be said for foster experiences. At times, you may be asked to be a final foster parent. Agreeing to this means you are accepting the responsibility of being the final family for this pet. The experience is can be exceptionally rewarding, but also more emotional than other foster scenarios.

Senior Pets: How to Meet Potential Special Needs

A final foster generally means an older pet and may at times have increased needs. These needs often only mean more awareness and consideration. As with most fosters, you will not know the animal’s history or previous living conditions. So, this is an awesome opportunity to really learn about your foster. Tips for doing this successfully include:

Learn more about the life stages of your pet.
- Gaining a better understanding of how pets needs change as they age is a great way to provide the best possible quality of life for your new pet. To learn more about the life stages of rabbits and guinea pigs, check out these great resources:
  - Rabbit life stages
  - Guinea pig life stages
Invest in learning what that animal really likes (and don’t be afraid to spoil them a little).
When it comes to relaxing, does your pet prefer a soft cozy cave or a more open hiding enclosure? Give them the opportunity to try new veggies and healthy treats. And, don’t forget about enrichment! Just because they are an older animal does not mean they wouldn’t enjoy enriching adventures throughout the day.
Provide love, support, time, and energy.
Being a final foster parent is likely to be one of the most rewarding experiences you will encounter as a pet parent. To cultivate the best experience possible for both your family and your pet, be prepared to provide an abundance of love, support, time and energy. In doing so, you will be sure to provide an abundance of happiness and comfort for an animal in need.