This Adorable Chihuahua-Pit Bull Mix Gets Second Chance
An unlikely mix of Pit Bull and Chihuahua resulted in a medium-sized dog that inherited many characteristics of a pit bull with the batlike ears of a Chihuahua. The odd combination produced the most adorable mixed pup with his underbite and large ears. His owner appropriately named him Batman and dresses him in licensed Batman apparel for dogs. The Hollywood rescue dog was sheltered in the Los Angeles-based Ozzie and Friends Rescue. Jessica Younger moved to Southern California from New Hampshire for work and found herself feeling lonely during the recent Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. She found a cure for her blues when deciding to become a pet foster parent for a dog in need. She signed up for the foster program in 2020, according to Daily Paws. The pup has brought new meaning into her otherwise lonely life as the two embark on hiking journeys and other adventures. They also go to the beach together. He’s a growing puppy and the activities help him burn off his excess energy. Youngers’s decision to bring the dog into her life has made a tremendous difference by bringing love and companionship into her world during a lonely time. Now that the world has opened up, the two continue to be inseparable pair.
Fostering vs Rescuing pets
The Lake City Humane Organization explains that fostering and rescuing pets are two different things, although they’re interrelated. Pet rescue homes offer pets a permanent home. Rescuers complete the adoption process and they take over total responsibility for the well-being and health of the animal forever. Pet foster homes offer animals a temporary traditional home. Pet foster parents provide a home for pets on an adoption list to continue their socialization and training, and to fully prepare pets for adoption readiness. They provide a safe and loving environment with the understanding that another person may adopt the pet when he is ready for his forever home, or when a new family steps forward. Some of the responsibilities of a foster parent are feeding, grooming, and ensuring the pet is taken to medical appointments for vaccinations and health screenings.
Pet foster program benefits
Pet foster programs organize volunteers with the time and desire to provide loving temporary homes for animals in need of shelter and care. The programs benefit the animals and the care providers. It allows animal lovers to help animals in need within the scope of their abilities. Some people can only commit to temporary arrangements, but their willingness to take the available time they have to offer helps to further socialize the animals and train them. These programs also open up more space in rescue shelters for animals that would otherwise end up in kill shelters on a waiting list to die. Pet foster programs save the lives of thousands of quality animals each year. It gives them a chance to find loving homes and become a blessing to persons or families in need of companionship. Pet foster programs help to increase the chances of adoption by socializing dogs and helping them overcome fears and past traumas. They help the animal to reach the point of feeling comfortable to allow their personalities to shine through. They also teach pets how to live in home environments with human family members and other pets.
Pros and cons of pet fostering
Dogs Best Life points out the advantages and disadvantages to anyone considering becoming a pet foster parent. Fostering can help people considering adoption to learn more about what it means to have a dog in their home and to care for them. It’s usually a contract to provide care for a few months instead of the years of commitment required with adoption. It provides an ethical way out of caring for a dog that is not something that the foster parent can commit to or wants to commit to for the remainder of a dog’s life. It allows people to enjoy giving back to the community while having the opportunity to explore the pros and cons of pet ownership. Most rescue centers pay for the medical expenses of the dog including food and supplies. On the downside, there are risks associated with fostering a shelter dog. In many instances, the background of the animal is not known. You may not know about some of the dog’s behavioral issues until you see them happening. Some dogs are emotionally damaged and may act out when you least expect it. Some people who apply for foster parenting programs do not qualify. It can be disappointing, but the shelter is responsible for placing the animals in homes that are safe and capable of caring for their needs of the animal. Another drawback is the risk of damage to your home and your belongings. Some dogs exhibit destructive behaviors such as chewing personal items and furniture, clawing on doors or floors, or other destructive behaviors. Puppies are especially prone to chewing up everything in sight. Some dogs may need house training and they may leave messes on your carpet or other floors.
Final thoughts
People like Jessica Younger find that fostering a dog can bring more joy into your life than imaginable. Although not all foster stories are this cheerful, most shelters work hard to match pets with people compatible with their needs and personalities. Fostering dogs help save their lives and improve their chances of finding a forever home. It may even end with you adopting the animal if you discover that you’re in a position to commit to the pet for the rest of his life. It’s a way to give back to a community of vulnerable animals who need help and make room in no-kill shelters for other animals that would otherwise die. If this is something that you’re interested in trying, we recommend contacting your local pet shelters to inquire about their foster programs.