Six Jack Russell Terrier puppies who were born in the care of leading animal welfare charity, Battersea, have grown into confident, loving young dogs thanks to the support of the charity’s Foster Carers who looked after them since birth.
Lacy, a three-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, was brought to Battersea heavily pregnant as a stray and was very worried and shy. To help with her stress and ensure she was in a calm, relaxed environment when she gave birth, Lacy was taken on foster by Battersea Foster Carer Jacqui, who looked after the Terrier and her puppies in her own home until they were able to find new families.
Max was one of the litter of six, who Jacqui described as a “typical puppy with masses of energy and a cheeky personality”. Max settled into his foster home very quickly and enjoyed spending his days receiving lots of fuss and chewing on toys, especially ragger toys which he loved to play tug games with. Once he was ready to leave his foster home, Max joined his new owners, Gavin and Trudie, to start a new life in Cambridgeshire. Since then, the energetic puppy has grown in confidence and has firmly become part of the family.
Gavin and Trudie said: “Max is such a smart fella, he has picked up lots of puppy training at his first attempt and toilet training is going very well. He has really started to come into his own in recent weeks and is turning into a local celebrity, we can’t pass anyone without them saying hello and him getting a stroke! We can’t thank Battersea and the charity’s Foster Carers enough for helping our Max and I’m afraid you can’t have him back!”
Foster Carers provide invaluable support for dogs and cats at Battersea who need a second chance, whilst also giving the charity an opportunity to see how the animals in its care behave in a home environment to help find their ideal new homes.
Some animals may require a foster home for medical or stress reasons, while pregnant dogs need foster homes to provide them with calming environment so that they are more likely to have a relaxed birth. Foster homes also provide the perfect set up for puppies to learn and develop, while making sure their mums feel safe, secure and most importantly, loved.
Talking about becoming a Foster Carer at Battersea, Jacqui said: “I absolutely love fostering dogs from Battersea and after five years, I’ve never looked back. I’ve always wanted a dog, but I am at the point in my life where I’m travelling a lot and with fostering, I get the best of both worlds and I get to help animals that really need me.
“Helping Lacy to come out of her shell and calm her worries while bringing up Max and the pups is something I will never forget. Battersea has constantly been there to support me along the way, and I never feel alone with their help. If you think you can become a Foster Carer, give it a try! It’s an amazing thing to be part of.”
Battersea is looking for more Foster Carers who live near its three centres in London, Windsor and Brands Hatch as well as its Community locations in Basingstoke, Ashford and Guildford to help the charity be there for every dog and cat. All Foster Carers should be compassionate, empathetic and adaptable to the needs of individual animals, and willing to provide the basics of care. Foster Carers would also need access to a car in case the animal they are looking after needs veterinary attention and have no other pets at home.
Battersea’s Fostering and Communities work has been made possible through the generous support of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
If you are interested in becoming a Foster Carer for Battersea or would like more information, please visit: https://www.battersea.org.uk/support-us/fostering
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Notes to editors
- At Battersea we offer our love and expert care to dogs and cats who need us by rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals at our centres, and by sharing our knowledge and resources with rescue organisations around the world. We do this because we want to help every dog and cat, everywhere.
- In 2021 Battersea directly cared for 1,601 dogs and 1,743 cats at our three centres. We also helped thousands more through our Communities programme, campaigning work, supporting other rescue centres and animal welfare advocates, and sharing knowledge and advice with pet owners.
- We’re reliant on the generosity of the public to continue to fund our vital work helping dogs and cats and the people who care for them. To donate to Battersea, visit: https://donate.battersea.org.uk
- In addition to the site in South West London, Battersea also has two other centres based at Old Windsor, Berkshire and Brands Hatch, Kent.
- To find out more visit our website or follow Battersea on Twitter @battersea_ , Instagram @battersea or facebook.com/Battersea