Written by Amanda Coers – NaNook & NaKoda’s Big Paws Rescue (NNBPR) is looking to recruit homes to foster large dogs in the Brownwood area. The rescue group is working to pull large breed dogs from the shelter where they’re often the last to be adopted.
NNBPR recently posted on their Facebook Page with a ‘job posting’ in the hopes of recruiting more foster families. The post reads as follows:
Large/Giant Breed Dog Foster: Full-time job

What if NaNook & NaKoda’s Big Paws Rescue had a long list of people wanting to foster pets for them? What if NaNook & NaKoda’s Big Paws Rescue (NNBPR) had a great system in place to recruit, train and manage the foster homes? What if NNBPR had a whole army of people to help get those pets ready for adoption? NNBPR would be able to pull large/giant breed dogs from kill shelters!

Most shelters often have very short time spans – sometimes as little as a few days – before an un-adopted dog is slated for euthanasia. NNBPR goal is to rescue these dogs from that fate. The more foster homes we have, the more dogs we can save! Let’s face it rescues get full too and then we have to close down intake of large/giant breed dogs from kill shelters and these are the dogs most often euthanized first in kill shelters.
As we strive to raise funds for a portable building so that NNBPR can house the dogs when there are not fosters available; one of the things we have know is that rescues are able to save more dogs from kill shelters due in large part because space is not an issue; they have HUGE foster networks. We have 1 foster homes right now, and if we want these fuzzy big babies to survive to be adopted, we need fosters now! NNBPR and the animals NEED YOUR HELP!

Anyone interested in fostering a dog may fill out an online form or email nanooknakodasbigpawrescue@gmail.com.
How it works:
Fostering provides a temporary home for a rescued dog until a permanent “forever” home can be found. It also provides time for a dog to adjust or re-adjust to living in a home, and to learn socialization and good manners. For many dogs a shelter enviornment is very stressful and once NNBPR pulls them and they can go to a home environment they are able to de-stress. For some dogs, the foster home also provides time to recover from an illness or medical procedure before he or she can be made available for adoption.
Before taking your first foster dog home, the foster program coordinator will do a home visit or require photos/video of your home and yard to make sure you have a secure fence, proper outdoor shelter, shade, and plenty of room in your home. Any animals in the home must be spayed/neutered and up to date on vaccinations and rabies shots.
You will also have a mentor/buddy who will help you with any questions/concerns you have while fostering to guide you through the program and help with any problems you may encounter as you begin.
What foster parents do:
As a foster parent, you’ll be responsible for the basic daily care for your furry friend in your home. In other words, your job is to shower the dogs with the love and attention they need to prepare them for adoption into a permanent home. NNBPR will cover the cost of any medical expenses the dog incurs, however foster families will need to cover the cost of food and other supplies. NNBPR is a 501c3 rescue and foster families can keep receipts as a tax deductible donation at the end of the year.
Fosters will be asked to bring their assigned dog to adoption outreach events and medical appointments, and to introduce him/her to people who are interested in adoption.

“If you are worried you’ll get attached and it will be hard to let go… the truth is sometimes it is and we call those foster fails,” said Toni Burleson with NNBPR. “Foster fails are good to because that means the foster adopted the dog.”

“However, in the event you can’t adopt it is difficult sometimes to let go. I remind myself on a regular basis that a foster is not my dog,” she said. “I love them while I have them, I work with them and make them a better more adoptable dog and then when they are adopted I remind myself that they now have a forever home and I usually move on to the next soul in need of foster.”