A Dog Adoption Story: The Journey of a Foster Parent

For my third installment to my dog adoption I decided to cover the dog fostering process. People who foster dogs are put to the task of helping dogs make the transition from a poor situation to a loving forever home.

I came across the Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue , an organization that relies a lot on foster parents. They do not currently have a rescue center, so they immediately place dogs in foster homes once they are rescued. I never realized how important foster homes are for rescue dogs. It gives them the chance to see what a good home life looks like so they aren't so culture terrified once they go to their forever home.

For this audio slideshow I talked to volunteer and foster parent Mandy Evers. After speaking with her and hearing more about the process, I have so much respect for all the people who are willing to foster dogs. I could really tell how love Mandy has for all the dogs she fosters.



Photo Captions: Here are the captions, in order of appearance, for all the pictures featured in the slideshow.

Caption 1. Two-year old dog, Birdie, looks out into the big yard at her foster home on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. She finally has the chance to play outside with other dogs.

Caption 2. Unchained Melodies volunteer, and foster parent, Mandy Evers, relaxes at her house on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. She spends most of her time at home caring for her two dogs, and one foster dog.

Caption 3. Evers reflects on her experience with a prior foster dog squeaky, on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. She says squeaky was very insure of almost everything when she was first rescued.

Caption 4. While scrolling through her phone on Feb. 29, 2016 in her home Columbia, Mo. Evers, finds a photo when Squeaky was starting to warm up. She still wasn't too sure about people, but was making progress.

Caption 5. Evers is excited to show a picture of how her relationship with Squeaky finally progressed Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. They eventually both felt comfortable around each other and formed a bond.

Caption 6. Birdie and Evers share a bonding moment together, outside of her home in Columbia, Mo. Feb. 29, 2016. This bonding is important to help bridge the gap between being rescued, and finding a forever home.

Caption 7. Evers shows, with Birdie, how being in a foster home benefits rescue dogs, on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. She trusts Evers enough to take food from her hand.

Caption 8. A dog lays patiently as he waits to go for a daily walk in Columbia, Mo. on Feb. 29, 2016 Leaning to walk on a leash is just on of the many things Evers tries to teach her foster dogs.

Caption 9. Birdie sits while she works on learning commands from Evers. This is an essential part of her journey in a foster home, on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo.

Caption 10. Evers, prepares to reward Birdie with a treat after she listened to her commands, on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. She says dogs who are food motivated are the easiest to work with.

Caption 11. Evers holds Birdie close in the back yard of her home in Columbia, Mo. She gives her the love Birdie didn't receive much in her prior situationFeb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo.

Caption 12. Through the process of being a foster parent, Evers discusses how little things such as ice can terrify some of the rescue dogs, on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. She tries her best to get the dogs used to these household items.

Caption 13. Evers and Birdie work together inside the house on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. About a moth after being rescued, Birdie has adjusted well to living in a home with a family.

Caption 14. The website for Unchained Melodies is shown on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. This is where people can come to browse through the list of dogs available for adoption.

Caption 15. Foster applications lay out ready for the next willing volunteer to fill one out, in Columbia, Mo. on Feb. 29, 2016. The applications are put together in a way similar to a job application.

Caption 16. Birdie hangs out with her cat friend on Feb. 29, 2016 while at her foster Columbia, Mo. She hopes her relationship with other animals will make it easier for her to get adopted.

Caption 17. A dog enjoys a full bowl of food on Feb. 29, 2016 in Columbia, Mo. Unchained Melodies helps foster parents by providing them with food for their foster dog.

Caption 18. Unchained Melodies is an organization that focuses on rescuing dogs who have been kept on chains. This sign hangs around in Columbia, Mo. on Feb. 29, 2016.

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