"I've been working with Basset Hound rescue for fifteen years and started fostering ten years ago. My late husband and I already had two Bassets when we got our first one to foster, and we got very attached. It's so hard to give them up once you've fallen in love with them, but it helped to realize that, by fostering, we were saving them from having to live in cages at a vet's office. Plus, we were helping them learn how to adapt to family life for when they're placed with their forever families.
"Fostering is an important part of the work of rescue groups because it's in that context that you find out about the dog's energy level, temperament, behavioral issues if any, medical concerns, and more. Then, when someone applies to adopt, the group has enough information to make sure a particular dog is a good fit for that person or family. A dog may be in foster care for a while before a good match is found for him, but rescue groups want to make certain that the pet will be well cared for and not abandoned. In our experience, the dogs we've fostered or adopted have been well-behaved and loving. They seem so grateful to have a good home.
"One real need is for foster and adoptive homes for senior dogs. These two boys are 10 and 11 years old, which means I won't have as much time with them as I would if they were puppies, but I didn't want puppies. I've lived through that stage with our first dog, and I was ready for something more mellow. They're so loving, so sweet. I got them in August as fosters, and I'm in the process of adopting them now.
"The group I'm working with, Belly Rubs, just deals with Bassets, but there are other breed-specific groups out there. I would encourage people to research breeds to find out which one would be best for them and to consider adopting through a rescue group. Rescue groups are not in it for the money. They care about the pets and want to see them find good homes."
"Fostering is an important part of the work of rescue groups because it's in that context that you find out about the dog's energy level, temperament, behavioral issues if any, medical concerns, and more. Then, when someone applies to adopt, the group has enough information to make sure a particular dog is a good fit for that person or family. A dog may be in foster care for a while before a good match is found for him, but rescue groups want to make certain that the pet will be well cared for and not abandoned. In our experience, the dogs we've fostered or adopted have been well-behaved and loving. They seem so grateful to have a good home.
"One real need is for foster and adoptive homes for senior dogs. These two boys are 10 and 11 years old, which means I won't have as much time with them as I would if they were puppies, but I didn't want puppies. I've lived through that stage with our first dog, and I was ready for something more mellow. They're so loving, so sweet. I got them in August as fosters, and I'm in the process of adopting them now.
"The group I'm working with, Belly Rubs, just deals with Bassets, but there are other breed-specific groups out there. I would encourage people to research breeds to find out which one would be best for them and to consider adopting through a rescue group. Rescue groups are not in it for the money. They care about the pets and want to see them find good homes."
Wyatt and Gus are inseparable. Wyatt is a full Basset, and Gus is a Basset-Beagle mix.
For more information, go to Belly Rubs Basset Rescue.