Sanctuary Fostering is Hard: And That’s Why You Should Do It

Over the past six years, I took in a total of six sanctuary foster rabbits. They chewed me up, and spit me out - emotionally and mentally. Each one of them told their own story and gave me the privilege of being present for the last part of their lives. 

Being a foster parent to a rescued animal is not an easy task. You take in an animal or two who needs you for one reason or another; maybe a rescue who needs a little more space and attention, or perhaps they’re recovering from a surgery, or they just need a quiet home away from a noisy shelter to decompress in and find a sense of comfort and safety. And you do all of that, happily. It feels good to help an animal in need. To see them sleeping soundly for probably the first time in their lives, and to know that you made that moment possible, is invaluable. One day, they get adopted to a permanent home. And although you’re heartbroken to see an animal who you care about so much go, you know they are ultimately moving to an even better place: their forever home. It wouldn’t have been possible without you. 

Sanctuary fostering is different. An animal is usually deemed sanctuary, and therefore “unadoptable” in most cases, because of chronic medical problems. These animals will need ongoing care, likely for the remainder of their lives. My sanctuaries suffered from everything from dental disease, kidney disease, heart disease, lymphoma, anemia, and head tilt due to e.Cuniculi. On top of the regular day-to-day care, sanctuary animals need a foster home with medical experience, the time to run them back and forth to the vet, and the ability to gauge quality of life. Ultimately, you are agreeing to take in a hospice animal. 

Being a foster home is hard enough, but adding in the extra layer of a special needs animal being with you indefinitely makes it exponentially harder, and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I took in Angel and Applesauce on December 2, 2016 - but I’m so glad I did. They were about 4 years old when they came home to me, and they were deemed sanctuary because Applesauce had dental disease that we just couldn’t get on top of. It seemed like he was going to the vet for extractions and trims every other month, and eventually, he developed kidney disease and ultimately succumbed to it. He was one of the sweetest, goofiest rabbits I’ve ever met and we developed such a strong bond. After he passed, I kept his partner Angel with me and soon bonded her to yet another sanctuary rabbit: Charlotte. Charlotte was a 9-year-old mini lop who had been blind for the majority of her life and eventually developed e.Cuniculi. 

Soon after came Sugar Girl and Paprika, my spice girls. They were originally rescued from a meat farm in Missouri and found their way to the San Diego House Rabbit Society. Soon after, we discovered that Paprika had heart disease, and Sugar Girl was diagnosed with lymphoma - both reasons to make them sanctuary rabbits. They were beautiful, sweet girls with such different but complementary personalities, and you could tell just how much they loved each other by the excitement one would show after the other would come home from their countless vet stays. 

My only single sanctuary foster, Angelina, came to me under less than ideal circumstances. To say the least, she had not been well taken care of. She was elderly, had a heat tilt, and was separated from her bonded partner. I always made sure her playpen was safe with bumpers, and filled with stuffed animals in an attempt to not replace, but give her the feeling of having a companion. She would groom her stuffies, and feed them water - it was the sweetest, yet saddest thing to see. 

As of today, all of my sanctuary rabbits have passed on, with my beautiful Angel leaving me only a few months ago. Nothing about their care was ever easy, and it only became harder the longer I had them. I’m looking at their photos on my wall and I miss them so, so much. They became more than foster rabbits. In the end, they were mine, and I hope they knew that. I can say with 100% certainty: I would do it all over again…and again and again. 

If you have the time, the skills and the space in your home and your heart: take in a sanctuary rabbit. I’m not going to lie, it’s hard. One of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but I guarantee you, you will not regret it. There are countless rescues out there in need of both foster and sanctuary foster homes. You will not only take some of the burden off their shoulders and give them the opportunity to save another life by freeing up valuable space, but you’re giving a rabbit the chance of experiencing what it's truly like to be loved and to feel safe in a home they can call their own. 

I’m writing this to promote sanctuary fostering, but selfishly - I want the world to know my rabbit’s names: 

Angel, Applesauce, Charlotte, Sugar Girl, Paprika, and Angelina. Mom loves you all.