I'm fostering a rescue dog for a Sussex charity - heartbreak aside, there's nothing more rewarding

“I’d love to do that, but I’d be too sad to let them go,” is what I always hear when I talk about fostering animals.

And it’s completely understandable. It definitely tugs on the heartstrings when an animal you’ve built a bond with leaves, but it’s a bittersweet feeling. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing that you’ve helped a pet find its family, even if you shed a few tears when you say goodbye.

Nearly three months ago, my partner and I brought a bewildered little dog – skinny and bald in some spots – into our home.

We would be fostering him for an unknown amount of time for charity People’s Animal Welfare Society (PAW Society), which was established in Sussex but has quickly expanded nationwide.

Ten-month-old Arthur is an ex-street dog from Romania and, despite having never met us, he trusted us immediately.

I’d love to say I was equally calm and confident in our decision to foster him, but I was worried sick for days up to his arrival.

Arthur’s not my first foster dog (I’ve fostered 12 in total – not at the same time, obviously!) but it was the first time we’d fostered in years because of our resident dog. Over the past few years, Dolly, who is also an ex-stray from Romania, had become reactive to other dogs on walks. We tried for months to get her to be more comfortable with other canines, even enlisting the help of a behaviourist. While she was improving around other dogs, she certainly didn’t seem ready to share a home with one.

I couldn’t shake the desire to foster again, though. So, we decided to just give it a go – we’d never know if we never tried, right?

Thus began weeks of keeping the dogs separated from each other, based on advice from PAW Society, who are around to support us every step of the way.

Arthur was rapidly coming out of his shell and becoming a typical, bouncy puppy, so we soon decided it was time to introduce him to our equally bouncy four-year-old pooch.

It took several indoor introductions, as well as daily outdoor walks, for the pair to be comfortable with each other.

But now, as I sit here watching Dolly and Arthur chase each other playfully around the living room, you wouldn’t believe we had ever been hesitant to introduce them to each other!

Fostering hasn’t only been beneficial to Arthur, but it has transformed Dolly too. I’ve definitely got Arthur to thank for helping our pooch understand that not all dogs are scary!

The past few months have been full of laughter, tears and joy, and we’ve learned all of Arthur’s nuances, quirks, likes and dislikes.

For example, he loves a cuddle on the sofa (only when our likely-to-be-jealous resident dog isn’t around!) and learning tricks. He’s learned to sit, give a high five, spin in both directions and ‘whisper’ in his short time with us.

He loves to gnaw on antlers and yak chews, but only if they’re not smoked! He’s happy to sleep in his crate, but only if the door is left open.

And he will do a ‘happy dance’ when he’s given a particularly exciting treat.

It’s no surprise that this funny, entertaining and affectionate pup has already been adopted. He’s set to go home with his new family next weekend and, while I’ve hardened myself when it’s come to giving up foster dogs, I think ‘goodbye’ this time around will be difficult.

It’s funny to think that such a small creature – who has been with us for just a small amount of time – has had such a big impact on our whole family.

Now it’s time for him to change the lives of another family – his very own family. So, while it certainly will be sad to let him go, I will do so proudly, because we’ve helped a dog find a home it otherwise wouldn’t have without us...

And that’s worth any heartbreak.

I would absolutely recommend fostering to anyone, whether you have pets already, or have no pets at all.

PAW Society also rescues cats, so no worries if you’re not a dog-person! You can always welcome a little rescue feline into your home and change lives that way!

For more information about fostering for PAW Society, visit: www.pawsocietyuk.org/foster.