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

We have always been so grateful to the Mayhew for matching us with our first forever dog, Rocky, 14 years ago. He was such a huge part of our lives that when he passed at 14, the grief felt overwhelming.

For a long time, I couldn’t imagine opening our hearts to another dog. And then, of course, along came Miss Abby, because life (and the Mayhew) clearly had other plans. This time, we weren’t adopting… we were fostering.

Fostering was initially my daughter’s idea, now that she and her brother have moved back home temporarily. With her job mostly remote, she decided what she really needed was a furry colleague to encourage “important outdoor meetings” (also known as walks).

The Mayhew’s process was super friendly but impressively thorough. During our video call, the Mayhew team gently sized us up while telling us all about Abby, her Pet Refuge status, her calm nature, and her collection of benign tumours that needed a bit of surgical attention. I think the Mayhew wanted to ease us in with an easy first foster dog… and they absolutely did. Miss Abby was a total dream: sweet, gentle, and with just the right amount of “Let’s go walkies!”

After a home check and a group training session one Saturday morning with Georgie, the canine behaviourist, we finally got to meet Abby. We were told she’d need to stay on lead, wear a cone post-surgery and eat a special diet, all which were no problem. After some outdoor playtime in their outdoor space (she’s nuts about tennis balls!) and a short walk, we were smitten. A few days later, she moved in, along with enough supplies to rival a small pet shop, thanks to Chloe, our main foster contact.

Abby settled into our lives pretty quickly. My husband took early mornings, I handled the scenic, longer walks to Hampstead Heath, my daughter did afternoons, and my son claimed the evening shift. Within days, she had us all beautifully trained!  Abby, meanwhile, specialised in supervising snacks and maximising sofa space.

She did have a touch of separation anxiety. If any of us left the house, she’d station herself dramatically by the front door like a Victorian heroine awaiting tragic news. We adapted, of course, ensuring her comfy bed was moved right by the door. Her favourite time, without question, was when we were all together in the living room. The sofa became increasingly cramped, but somehow, Miss Abby always had the best spot.  We felt terribly guilty leaving for a few days on a pre-planned trip, but it coincided with her surgery, so she had a few days back in the Mayhew until we returned.

We had been told fostering could last up to six months, especially for an older dog. Miss Abby was 13 years 9 months old, and while in brilliant fitness for her age, we had expected to have her for awhile. As it turns out, we only had her for 24 days. When I got the call to bring her in to meet her possible new adopter, my heart did that odd mix of pride and heartbreak. But of course, when we met Abby’s adopter, who turned out to be the loveliest person and was clearly so excited to welcome Abby into his home and life, we instantly felt at ease. That didn’t stop me from writing him a three-page guide to “Life According to Abby,” but the adopters took it in stride and so kindly emailed an update along with some wonderful photos of Abby in her forever home.

I’ll admit, I did briefly consider keeping her. But my sensible children reminded me of our promise to the Mayhew to foster and help as many dogs as possible.  Anyway, sensing our stifled tears and sadness at saying goodbye to Miss Abby that day, Chloe immediately jumped into action, and introduced us to the next Mayhew dog needing our help. Different dog, same full hearts. Welcome, little one! ❤️

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.