Fostering rescue dogs is not just about providing a temporary home; it's about transforming lives—both the dogs' and the humans'. Today, we're highlighting Colleen and Karen, two dedicated foster parents who have opened their hearts and home to countless dogs in need. Their latest foster, Bentley, has been on quite a journey, and Colleen and Karen's stories are a testament to the love, patience, and resilience it takes to be a foster. From their very first rescue to the unforgettable moments that make it all worthwhile, Colleen and Karen share their fostering adventures, offering a glimpse into the highs and lows of giving dogs a second chance at life.

When did you start fostering rescues?
We’d always had dogs, and had two at the time. A Facebook friend was posting about a stray that had been on the streets for a year and half–a mess, was limping. Something about him just spoke to me.
What prompted you to volunteer as a foster?
He had bounced around to several fosters, and kept escaping. Think they only caught him because he’d been hurt and was limping. The rescue asked if we’d just take him. Talked to Karen and said yes–just jumped in. That was our dog Sundance. It was two weeks before we could even touch him. We call him the World’s Most Expensive Rescue, because we had to put in a fence–which cost nearly $16,000!

What’s one of your best memories as a foster?
Our first DDR foster, named Lucy. She loved me so much, and was so happy to be in a safe and loving home. I told her I loved her, but didn’t need her. Knew there was a family out there who would love and need her. Sure enough, her adopter had lost their dog Shiloh and really needed Lucy. The day they came to pick her up, she went straight over to say hi. When we opened the door for them to leave, she went out with Sundance, and I thought they were going to run off. Instead, Lucy jumped about 15 feet straight into the back of their open SUV, and lay down, ready to go. Moments like that–the Gotcha Days, I call them–make fostering worthwhile.
What advice would you give to new volunteers?
A commitment is a commitment–not to the rescue, to the dog. Rescue dogs can be hard! Think it through before jumping in (unlike like we did!).

What can you tell us about Bentley’s journey with you?
When we picked him up, he had a lot of fear and was very unsure. He was severely matted, with a lot of hair over his eyes–probably hadn’t been clipped in well over a year. He kept bumping into things…we realized he had trouble seeing.
Once he was a little calmer, we trimmed the hair away from his eyes, and he was transformed. A lot of his fear was because he couldn’t see!
He’s super-smart. Initially, we were using an x-pen. He figured out how to open it instantly, and would let himself out. He wanted to hang out close to us. Even after we clamped it, he figured a way to get under the gate, so we gave up on the pen. He loves to lie on his bed–and ours! He’s a real cuddler, too.
After he’d been neutered and had a shave-down to get rid of the matted hair, we realized he had a lot of irritation in one eye. Turns out he had an eyelid abnormality that rubbed his eye a lot. That needed surgical correction…so Bentley has had to endure Medieval Cone Torture twice, first for his neuter and now for his eye surgery. He has quite a bit to say about it, too–check out his journal coming on Friday, October 18th.