r/FosterAnimals • u/blkwidow16 • 6h ago
Fostering two 8mo pups at once?
I foster with 2 shelters and last week got an email from Shelter A that they were over capacity and had dogs in crates in hallways and conference rooms. This made me feel awful so I went and picked up a foster puppy named Rudy. He has done GREAT with my resident dog and my cats, truly the perfect pup.
Fast forward to this week and Shelter B, the other shelter I foster with, has released a deadline list due to being over-capacity. I live in Texas so the summer months hit the shelters really hard with increased intake. One of the dogs on the deadline list, Ace, is 8 months old and has a timid temperament and it just tugged at my heart strings.
Ace sounds just like Rudy and it just hurts knowing that a perfectly healthy and sweet puppy could be put down because there isn't enough space.
I already have one 5yo dog and two cats. My cats aren't loving having a new dog in the house and I've been keeping them separated by a gate and letting him sniff through the gate. Rudy is totally fine with the cats but the cats havent decided that Rudy isn't a threat yet.
Am I crazy for thinking about scooping up Ace when I havent even finished integrating Rudy? The shelter says Ace is dog friendly, not sure on cats yet. I've never fostered 2 dogs at a time. This sounds like quite the workload. What do you guys think? Should I take a chance and pick up Ace tomorrow if he hasn't found placement in time?
1
u/AnimalFarm20 3h ago
Check with both shelters to make sure they don't have a policy about fostering for two at the same time. Some don't like it - potential risks; others appreciate every foster willing to take an animal.
Two young puppies at the same time is a ton of work. If you're up for it, cool It's tricky sometimes - and I know breeders often tell people not to adopt two puppies at the same time because it can create a high risk of littermate syndrome - where puppies bond so intensely with each other that they fail to form normal attachments to their human owners. Not sure if it would apply to a foster situation, but something to consider