Behind the Rescue: Why do we ask for fosters? 🐾 North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue doesn't have a traditional shelter. Our animals live in foster homes while they wait for their forever families, which means that when we're asked to help an animal, one of the very first questions we have to answer is: Where will they go? A foster home is the first, but not the last step toward "yes." We also have to consider medical and behavioral needs, veterinary costs, our current resources, and whether we can realistically support that animal through adoption. But without a safe place for an animal to stay, we can't move on to the other questions. There is no "backup" foster spot, no secret kennel reserved. There's another side of fostering that you may not see: sometimes the foster we're looking for is for an animal already in our care. Adoptions have slowed, and some animals are waiting much longer for their forever homes. Foster families have vacations, work and school schedules change, and...