Sometimes fostering isn’t necessarily a destination you’ve aimed to find, but one that’s found you. And that definitely seems to be the case for Gem Aggabao and her husband, Brian Obermiller, who’ve been a dream foster team for Maeday Rescue, based in Los Angeles.
By stepping up when the rescue put out an emergency SOS call for a last-minute foster years ago, Gem and Brian found themselves committed to a lifestyle of ubiquitous fur, house-training, leash-training, socializing, healing, loving, and, ultimately, letting go. As Gem so sagely recommends to first-time fosters, “You should really ask yourself this question – ‘Am I mentally, emotionally and physically prepared for this?’”
There aren’t enough accolades to heap upon Gem and Brian for all the love and new opportunities they’ve given to so many dogs here in Southern California, but we hope by sharing their personal fostering stories, advice, and perspectives, you’re perhaps inspired to save a few rescue pups yourself!
How many years have you been fostering?
Six years for Maeday Rescue. It started when Maeday had an urgent plea to foster a dog named Lorenzo who was being returned after two months by his adopter. We ended up adopting him after fostering him for three weeks. We started as weekend or back up fosters for Maeday. We saw how fostering helped our dog Walter socialize (he is very territorial) so we continued fostering and now we've fostered 60+ dogs (and counting).
Which foster(s) have been the easiest and why?
Adult to senior dogs are the easiest. Most of the time they are already potty trained, know commands, have great temperament and just want to chill.
The best parts of fostering are? And the most challenging parts of fostering are?
Best parts: The satisfaction of seeing a once timid, shy, scared dog open up and become social and playful. Watching them recover from trauma or a major medical procedure and how easily they bounce back if you provide them a safe place and show them love and compassion. We still keep in touch with a lot of our fosters and their adoptive families. When we see how happy the dogs are in their forever homes, that makes us happy. It's such a rewarding feeling to know you have been part of their journey. In a way they have become our extended families!
Challenging parts: Fostering can sometimes disrupt your routine. It requires a level of commitment. You have to be available to take your foster to vet appointments, meet and greets, adoption events, etc. Sometimes you are also dealt with situations you are not familiar with and are forced to think quickly while putting your foster's best interest first.
Rescue animals, in our opinion (and no doubt yours) are the most special. Can you give us your pitch as to why people should *adopt and not shop*?
1) Know your limitations — Fostering is a wonderful experience but is not always easy. It is exhausting at times. Caring for a medical dog requires a lot of patience, trips to the vet and administering medication. There will be sleepless nights. Puppies are rambunctious. They also need to be fed every few hours. This means cleaning up their poop and pee every few hours too. Every foster situation is different and comes with challenges. Attachment is real. You will fall in love with every foster but you should learn how to let them go. I have gone through many heartbreaks when I have to say goodbye to my fosters but I still do it because at the end of the day this is about the dog and not about me. You should really ask yourself this question — "Am I mentally, emotionally and physically prepared for this?"
2) Proper Introduction is key — I am a believer of making a great first impression. My dog Walter is quite territorial so I have learned that it is always important to have a system or method of introducing new dogs to an existing pack. I never just bring my foster into my home. We start on neutral grounds. We always start with a pack walk. When they are all cool during the walk then we bring all of them together inside the house. I also have gates in my apartment that separate my existing pack with the new dog if pack walks don't work instantly.
3) Foster with reputable organizations — Fostering is a team effort. Make sure to do your due diligence when you foster for a non-profit rescue organization. Read their foster agreement. Understand their process. Ask questions. You should not be spending a single dime when you foster. The organization should provide everything your foster needs while in your care. They should be communicative and supportive. At Maeday Rescue, we make sure fostering is a pleasant experience for animals and humans involved.