Fostering Furbabies:

Fun, Fulfilling, and Furry-Much In Demand

(okay, that was cheesy, but please do consider fostering, as most shelters are at capacity)

Splice producer Chris Ray and his pet-loving family have been fostering dogs through Furkids of Atlanta for several months, and it has been such a rewarding experience. Early in the pandemic, Chris' family had to say goodbye to their 14-year-old pitbull/lab mix Boomer—and they suddenly found themselves petless for the first time in decades. Enter Furkids.

Much like many other rescues that utilize fostering, Furkids provides: the dog's food, the crate, vet care, and any medicines. In turn, the foster family provides: a "jailbreak" for nervous furkiddos who are overwhelmed by loud kennels; an open kennel for the org to be able to rescue another pet; a chance for the furbabies AND the humans to get much-needed cuddles and companionship; and a real-world environment for the pet's true personality come out.

"Many of the dogs come to Furkids from anonymous surrenders or neglect cases, where nobody really knows their background," explained Chris. "And some were outside dogs who have never seen stairs or furniture. So we have the fascinating job of getting to know each dog's fears, quirks, energy level, and behaviors, and then writing the bios for the Furkids' website."

Some dogs are already housebroken and crate-trained; others require a bit more work. But the Rays know that any time and energy spent on training equals a higher likelihood of a successful adoption.

"We help them trust people again, and get them comfortable around sudden movements or loud household appliances," said Chris.

"And some dogs just need a little help learning basic manners, like 'don't jump up on people—and quit eating my socks,'" joked Chris' wife. The average time it takes their foster dogs to get adopted is two weeks, at which time the Ray family returns to the Furkids shelter to start the process all over again. Chris noted, "It's always an adventure!"

Chris and his family love fostering all these silly, cuddly, goofy, quirky, and sweet furkiddos. The "dog days of summer" have been a BLAST.

To learn more about Furkids of Atlanta, and how to get involved, visit furkids.org