Dogs Trust Manchester is calling on local dog lovers to consider opening their hearts and their homes to a foster dog.
The Home from Home fostering scheme was set up at the Manchester centre shortly after it opened in Denton in 2014 and it has gone on to provide temporary foster homes for more than 650 dogs before they have headed off to their forever homes. 
But now, the team are hoping more people who would like to welcome a four-legged friend into their lives temporarily will sign up to help make sure rescue dogs can continue to enjoy their home comforts whilst waiting to find their forever homes.
Tracy Hill, Co-ordinator of the Home from Home fostering scheme at Dogs Trust Manchester, says: “Our volunteer foster carers are amazing. Some dogs find it difficult to adjust to kennel life so it’s wonderful to have the option for them to go into a temporary home. Older dogs, very young dogs, pregnant mums or dogs who are poorly particularly benefit from having all their home comforts and TLC from their foster carer. Plus, the more dogs that we are able to place in foster, the more dogs overall we can look after as it frees up kennel space at the centre.
“Also, our foster carers are able to give us a fantastic insight into how a dog is in a home environment, which really helps us find them their perfect permanent home. They tell us everything from whether they like to sleep upstairs or downstairs, on a dog bed or on the sofa, what their favourite toys and games are and what their routine is. That information is invaluable to the dog’s new forever family as it really helps them settle in and find their truly happy place quickly.”
Home from Home volunteer foster carers are provided with everything they need for the dog they are caring for such as food, bedding, toys and treats and the Dogs Trust team are on hand to provide guidance and advice whenever needed.
Tracy adds: “Sometimes people would love to have a dog in their life but recognise they aren’t able to commit to having one permanently. For dog lovers in that situation, fostering could be the perfect solution.
“Our foster carers need to be over the age of 18 and we are particularly in need of people who don’t have children or dogs or cats as it makes it much easier to place dogs in homes with less hustle and bustle than young children or other animals might bring!
“Foster carers also need to be able to travel to the centre so their dog can meet potential new owners. We really hope more people decide they have a dog-shaped hole in their life that they want filling on a temporary basis.”
For more information, please contact the Home from Home team at Dogs Trust Manchester on 0161 337 3616 or [email protected].
If you would like to find out more about dogs waiting for their forever homes at Dogs Trust Manchester, please go to www.dogstrust.org.uk
