Foster Carer Highlight: Monica

Why foster a rescue animal?

There are so many reasons to consider welcoming a rescue animal into your home. Perhaps you can’t commit long-term to an animal but want the companionship that only a pet can bring, maybe you want to help free up some space at the already at-capacity shelters in your area and give a rescue animal an environment they can decompress and relax in.

For Monica, there are many rewarding sides to being a foster carer. Monica and her husband have been fostering for close to 3 years at Sydney Dogs & Cats Home as well as volunteering her time around the shelter. While animal shelters aren’t always a great environment for an animal to be in, Monica notes that without them, many animals could end up on the street or on death row. “We took rescue animals on because the shelter environment can sometimes be a detriment to them, but you don’t give up.”

For Monica, being a foster carer has its rewarding sides such as seeing pets who are often frightened, stressed and nervous or lacking training, bloom into wonderful family pets. She says, giving pets the opportunity to learn, who may have come from less-than-ideal circumstances is a challenge she is willing to take on.

Monica has been fostering Alice the cattle dog, the Home’s current longest resident. Alice has come leaps and bounds from the young dog who came into this world during a global pandemic and didn’t receive the training, socialisation and enrichment she needed to become the best dog she could be. But Monica and her husband opened their home to Alice and have committed to guiding her and standing by her until she finds her forever home.

Monica says, “The reward is witnessing their transformation while they are with you. Then you get a call saying someone wants to adopt them. It’s time to say goodbye but knowing that you have prepared them for their new home is rewarding.”

It is because of our wonderful foster carers like Monica that many of our pets go on to find their forever homes and go on to live their best lives! We couldn’t do what we do without them!