Writer and content creator Isabel Klee, whose TikTok and Instagram accounts @simonsits showcase her journey with fostering, shares her tips for others looking to foster or adopt.
What inspired you to start fostering dogs, and how has fostering changed your life?
I think I came out of the womb obsessed with dogs. I begged my parents for a dog, and eventually my begging worked, and they got me my childhood dog and best friend, Ruby, who completely changed my life. When I went to college, I missed that companionship, so I started volunteering at a local shelter. Eventually, I decided to start fostering, because I really wanted a dog of my own, but I had no money. After my first foster dog, I was really hooked; I just fell in love with it. There was something so rewarding about helping a dog find that forever family and a happy ending.
You typically gravitate towards dogs that can be seen as a little challenging. Why is that?
When I adopted my “foster fail” Simon, he was a tiny little puppy that had a lot of health problems. It was something that I really wasn’t expecting. I felt so overwhelmed by it, and just kind of like, “Oh, my God, what did I get myself into? How am I going to pay for this? This is going to change my life for the worse.” However, through my experience with him, I realized that it’s really not as scary as I thought it would be, and adopting him only changed my life for the better. After Simon, I knew I could handle and navigate those tougher cases. Hopefully, through my platform, I can show people that these dogs are just like any other dogs, except maybe they get a few medications each day. It isn’t hard to handle these animals, and they deserve happy homes, too.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a foster dog parent?
The obvious and sometimes hardest challenge is when you fall in love with a foster dog and have to give it up. Even though you’re doing the right thing by having the dog get adopted, it doesn’t stop that heartbreak from coming, and it doesn’t stop those feelings from happening. A less obvious challenge comes from sharing my experiences on social media. Everybody wants you to adopt every foster dog you have. That outside pressure of people trying to get you to adopt the dog can be very frustrating. Other than that, fostering is a very fun, rewarding experience.
How do you adapt your home and environment to meet the needs of each individual dog?
I live in a studio apartment in New York City, so it’s not the easiest environment to foster. However, by sharing my story, I’m hoping that people can see that if I can do it in this tiny apartment, anybody can do it! You just have to make it work. That said, there are definitely things that can make your life more adaptable (like washable rugs!) because when you foster, you can’t be worried about things getting dirty, and you can’t be so precious about your things.
What tips and tricks do you have for parents (or foster parents) of dogs who might be more nervous, especially during the busier holiday season?
It’s really important to go with dogs at their pace and to listen to their cues. A lot of people get a foster dog and expect them to act like a normal dog, but that’s not always the case with a dog fresh out of a shelter. Of course, sometimes foster dogs are totally fine and untraumatized, but a lot of times they need to decompress, get acclimated, and feel bonded to you to feel fully comfortable. I like to take each dog as an individual and see what they’re comfortable with. It’s really important to go at their pace; push them a little bit, but not so much that they’re scared. Over time, they’ll get more comfortable, and they’ll start to trust you more.
What advice do you have for someone choosing between adopting and fostering?
If you’re curious about adopting, I always recommend fostering first. Fostering is such a great way to determine if you’re ready for a dog without the actual responsibility of having a dog. For most organizations, if you foster a dog and fall in love with the dog, you get first choice on adoption. If somebody is interested in fostering, my biggest piece of advice is to just do it! You can try it once, and if you hate it, you never have to do it again. It allows you to test it out and see what kind of dogs fit your lifestyle. It’s just a really great way to see what fits best. You won’t know unless you try, and fostering is such a great way to try without the full commitment.
