Spending time with cats and dogs is therapeutic for a lot of people. What if I told you that you can do this for free? Not only that, but you get to save lives and make a difference at the same time!

Transporting, fostering, baking, walking, donating, sharing, fundraising, educating. These are just some of the activities that you can explore in the world of rescue. They ALL make a difference. If you aren’t able to foster – you can bake cookies for a fundraiser! Or volunteer to walk a dog! Or the easiest one – just share a post. Spreading the word, educating. You never know how far your share will go.

Fostering. It’s a big, scary word to some. But it has a big, incredible impact. I can’t speak directly about the difficulties and heartbreak of fostering because I personally haven’t done it myself (I so wish I could…someday). But I can talk about the impact I’ve seen just by visiting with these adoptables.

One of the first adoptable dogs I met was Buddy. He was a big, tiger-striped pupper with an amazing personality. The rescue he was with was full at the time, so he was placed at a kennel until they could find him a foster home (this is why it’s so important to foster!) A volunteer met with me and took him outside. He was stressed. You could see it in his eyes. He loved us, gave us kisses and pushed against our legs. He didn’t want to go back in. A few months later Buddy found an amazing foster home! I went over to get more photos of Buddy at his new temporary place. Buddy was playing outside, LOVING life with his foster brothers. He was happy, proud, and confident. He wasn’t in a small kennel anymore. It’s so hard to truly see the personality of these dogs when they are scared and cooped up in a kennel. Buddy ended up going to a Prints for Paws event, meeting someone there, and getting adopted.

The change in these dogs can be remarkable. All it takes is finding a soft spot for them to land. Fostering is free – the rescues take care of vetting, food, etc. It gives the dogs a chance to decompress and trust again. You make such an impact. If you are interested in fostering – please reach out to local rescue! Or reach out to me and I’ll help connect you to one! They are always looking for foster homes. If you aren’t interested in fostering – please consider volunteering in another way. Reach out. Get your hands furry. Make a difference.