An insight into what it’s like to be a Foster Volunteer at Mayhew, from Marina & Gustavo: 

We love animals and have always adopted dogs growing up. Due to our current busy lives, we felt we couldn’t have a dog permanently, but still felt compelled to help them in their time of need. Fostering sounded like a great option. 

I contacted Mayhew and, after some interviews and training, their team got in touch saying there was a dog that could be a good fit for us: six-year-old Holly-Angela, a greyhound and former racing dog.

We had never had a greyhound before, so one of our first surprises was to realise that they actually don’t need a lot of running! She loved going out and we made sure she got plenty of exercise and could explore the world during her walks but, when she was home, Holly would happily chill on her bed and nap.

As a retired racing dog, we were moved by the fact that it would be the first time in her life she would enjoy the experience of having a home, so we wanted to make sure she felt loved and cared for. Holly behaved so well and gave us a lot of affection in return.

Holly was friendly with people and other dogs, and great company, as she was easy-going in any situation: from a walk in the park, to lunch at the pub, or simply staying at home watching TV. She was very well-behaved both in the house and outdoors – just the sweetest dog!

Mayhew offered us a lot of support throughout and we highly recommend fostering. 

We got attached to Holly, but also felt very happy that she found her forever home.

If this story has inspired you to volunteer with us, we’d love to have you! Please visit https://themayhew.org/get-involved/volunteer-with-us/ to find out more.