Why I Didn’t Keep the Foster Bunny I Fell in Love With
Author: Sharon Hsu, long-time HRS foster
I started fostering rescue bunnies nearly four years ago. In that time, I’ve had the privilege of fostering almost 30 bunnies! I share my fosters widely on social media, and with every single foster bun I’ve shared, I inevitably get asked why I don’t “just keep” them.
I know these comments are well-intentioned, and I love hearing from people who have noticed my fosters’ progress or have well wishes, but the question remains: why don’t I just keep them?
Photo caption: Leah enjoys a bowl of delicious greens.
The idea of fostering is to take a bun from the shelter and give them a temporary home while they wait to find their forever home and be adopted. There are too many unwanted buns being dumped, found as strays, and surrendered. Rescues are completely overwhelmed with unwanted buns, and many of them are in crates, cages, or spaces that are less than ideal — and while all rescues advocate for giving buns space and plenty of enrichment, this is the sad reality of rescue. Taking one bun into foster care allows that bun to experience what the house bun life will be like. Fosterers take rescue buns from the shelter, rehab them however they need, love them, and make sure they are on their way to being the best buns they can be to find their forever homes! It allows us to learn more about the bun, their likes and dislikes and all their unique personalities, and in many cases, show the bun that humans can be okay.
Most shelter buns start off shy and afraid. So many of them come from less than ideal situations and sharing their stories on social media shows us what happens during foster care. We watch them learn safety and love and grow into their unique and beautiful personalities. They even seem super happy — and that’s the whole point of fostering! Just because they are happy in my home does not mean they can’t be happy in another home — in fact, one of the best feelings in the world is seeing them get the love and lives they deserve once they are adopted.
Photo caption: Motherboard keeps on eye on things in the kitchen.
This is our current HRS foster, Motherboard. He’s a wonderful and happy guy, and such an easy and gentle companion The most commonly asked question is: how has he not been adopted yet? He’s literally perfect! Like most buns, Motherboard did not thrive in the shelter setting. He can be shy and did not have the space to show off his happy food binkies and easygoing personality. But now that Motherboard is in foster care, his sweet personality blooms as he gets to experience so many things our own house buns take for granted, and it’s easy to see why he deserves getting adopted into the best forever home.
And when that adoption happens, a space will free up in my home to take in another shelter bun who is being surrendered or abandoned, and I will also rehab, love, and prepare them for their forever home. At the same time, the shelter frees up one space and can take in another bun and keep it safe.
It’s not about my feelings. I love every single foster bun that comes into my home. I would keep all of them if I could! But I can’t. Fosterers are real people and have very real restrictions including time, space, and money that prevent them from just keeping all their foster buns. Fostering is about finding the best forever homes for them so they can truly live their best lives. Fostering saves lives, and “just keeping” a foster would end that cycle and the chance for another bun to find a foster home with me.
If you’ve ever considered fostering or would like to learn more, please reach out to your local rescue and ask if they have a foster program!
Take the first steps to fostering with HRS here! 🐰
