Couple Converts Van into Tiny Home to Travel and Foster Dogs

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It’s amazing what animal lovers will do to help vulnerable dogs in need of assistance. We recently learned of a couple’s efforts to do what they could to provide homes for dogs in need of foster care. Insider reported the story about two very giving people who took $20,000 to purchase a used van to turn it into a foster home on wheels.

Couple converts van into a tiny home to travel and foster dogs

Nick Bollen and Sabrina Mazzotta are the owners of a web design company that allows them the freedom of traveling while they work. The remote-based business keeps them going as they travel throughout Canada. The pair purchases a used Mercedes Sprinter van, then converted it into a small home that they use on their mission. The two have taken in five vulnerable dogs and provided them with love, shelter, and food while they awaited their forever homes.

An interesting and heartwarming human interest story

Bollen and Mazzotta took a trip to New Zealand in 2018, and they spent their vacation there living in a van. When they returned to their hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the cost of the property was so expensive that they got the idea of living in a van full-time. The purchases their used Mercedes in 2020, did the work to turn it into a home on wheels, and the rest is history. They share their remarkable lives through their Instagram account they call Living on Breeze. The couple had spent time traveling between Australia, Bollen’s native country, and Mazzotta’s home country of Canada. Neither owned a home, so the transition wasn’t that difficult for either of them to make. The generous duo is both dog lovers and they’ve opened up their tiny home on wheels to five dogs in need so far. They actively look for qualified homes for the dogs and care for them until they find suitable adoptive homes.

This story sheds a new perspective on dog fostering

The problem of overpopulation of abandoned and unwanted dogs is tremendous throughout the United States and Canada. Sometimes all these animals need is a place to stay for a while and someone to provide for their basic needs, and help to socialize them until a family or individual steps forward to bring them into their homes as their new family members. There are a lot of people in the world who would like to help out, but for one reason or another, they don’t believe they could provide a temporary home for abandoned pets. This story sheds new light on the different situations that are suitable for providing foster care for pets in need. If they can do it living out of a tiny home on wheels, there certainly are others who are in an even better position to do so.

What does it take to become a foster pet parent?

The first requirement for becoming a foster pet parent is a loving and willing heart. If you are able to provide a safe, loving, and nurturing environment for a pet in need, there is likely some organization that is in need of your help. Even if you’re only able to provide a temporary home for one dog, for just a few weeks or months, it could make a big difference. If enough people stepped up to help, the problem would eventually become far smaller. There would be fewer animals suffering and alone in the world. Petful advises that you don’t have to have previous experience with pet ownership, although it’s helpful. There are, however, a few things you’ll need to have in your home to qualify. Dogs need their own food and water dishes, a bed, and the ability to transport the pet to and from their veterinary appointments if necessary. If the pet has special dietary needs, the foods may be provided for you, but in some cases, you are responsible for food. In most cases, the sponsoring agencies pay for food, veterinary care and cover the cost of any medications or medical procedures needed. Each agency has its own foster agreement and most some with a budget. If you’re willing to accept responsibility for the cost, it helps them spend the funds to help yet more animals in need.

Where can you go to get more information about becoming a pet foster parent?

It’s best to check with your local animal shelters and rescues. Most communities have at least one, and some have several. It’s usually best to find a sponsoring agency that is close to your home as you may need to drive there to pick up supplies occasionally. One of the better ways to find out what is available in your area is to get online and conduct an internet search of local shelters in your city or within your county. Some agencies have additional foster parent requirements. They want to ensure that every animal is going to be placed in a safe place where they will receive the love and nurture that they need.

Final thoughts

The story about the couple from Canada who travels around the country helping abandoned pets is one that makes us all stop and thinks twice about what we may truly be able to do to help animals in need. While not everyone is in a good position to serve as a foster parent, there are many of us who could afford to at least give it a try. Fostering dogs and cats in need is a rewarding experience that helps to save a life from possible euthanization. It also makes room in shelters and pet rescue facilities for them to help one more animal in dire need of shelter. If this story has touched your heart and you’re considering applying to become a foster parent, don’t put it off until later. there are helpless dogs and cats who need the warmth and comfort of our home right now.