For volunteer Deb L., fostering dogs is a family affair.
And with a revolving door of rescue dogs in her home, many of which are permanent residents – “we’ve foster-failed more than once,” she says – Deb, her husband and two teenagers are always busy.
“We are very close-knit. If one of us is doing it, then all of us are doing it,” she says.
Deb has been fostering with Poodle and Pooch for about two years, and she admits that she never says no. Luckily, she and her family live on a small farm, so they have the space to care for so many rescues. And with the whole family on board, they all get a lot of attention.
Deb especially enjoys fostering mama dogs and their puppies. She’s already adopted out two litters of pups, and her current brood includes a mom and puppies from a recent hoarding case in Putnam County.
The mom, a Dachshund mix, is completely unsocialized, untrained, timid and scared. “She’s a sweet little girl,” Deb says. “Never a snarl. She wants to be friends, but she has no clue about anything.”
Another current foster is Muffin, a senior maltese who was dropped on the doorstep of an animal shelter in a box sealed with painters tape. She was in terrible shape and so matted that it was impossible to tell if she was a male or female.
With Deb’s care, Muffin is eating and getting stronger. She will be a foster fail, too.
Her husband, Ivan, loves all the dogs as much as she does.
“We would keep every single dog if he had his way. We would have 100 dogs. He’s very supportive,” Deb says.
Although taking care of so many rescue dogs takes up a lot of Deb’s time, she enjoys gardening year-round and has a nice big area where she plants all sorts of vegetables. Her canine crew especially likes homegrown green beans.
“I feed them to the dogs when they are outside playing.”
She praises our rescue for encouraging fosters to find the perfect homes.
“Poodle and Pooch is by far the best rescue I’ve dealt with,” she says. “They aren’t trying to get them out. Any dog I’ve had, I get to decide when they’re ready to adopt.”
Although saying goodbye to her fosters when they find homes is hard, Deb has felt good about every single adoption. She encourages more families to foster.
“Children are stronger than adults. And what a great learning thing,” she says. “They know that it’s good to see a puppy or dog go off to his home.”
Thanks for your dedication, Deb!