What Woman Learns About Dog After Fostering Him Moves Internet to Tears

A viral video highlighted the incredible journey of fostering pets in need. With more than 100,000 views on TikTok, the heartwarming footage reveals the discoveries one foster carer made about the senior dog in her care.

The video by Isabel Klee, or @simonsits, showed her journey with 12-year-old Phoenix, whom she has fostered through Muddy Paws Rescue in New York City.

"When you foster a dog, you don't always receive a ton of information," Isabel said in the video. "You might get their name, their weight, maybe the state they came from and the reason they're in the shelter."

But there were other things that Isabel wanted to highlight—the little things that make up a dog's personality.

"You might know whether they're dog-friendly, whether they're fearful, how old they are," she shared. "But you don't know that every time they get a little bit wet, they rub their entire body on the carpet. You don't know that they claim every soft surface, including the dog beds."

The message was peppered with adorable shots of senior pup Phoenix, rubbing himself on the carpet and curling up in a fluffy dog bed.

Delving further into Phoenix's quirks, Isabel said: "You don't know that they can't see or hear very well, but they will find you in any open room. You don't know that they'll fall in love with your dog and clean his ears every chance they get."

Each year 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Pet fostering was reported to have risen by 43 percent during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. During this time there was a surge in pet adoptions and more people opted to foster animals too—giving them a temporary home while they find the perfect permanent place to live.

While many rescue dogs spend time in shelters, it isn't always the right environment. Foster homes provide a safe and healthy space for animals to heal, grow, or receive extra care while they look for permanent homes. Fostering helps animals who may have been through trauma to transition from a stressful shelter environment to a nurturing home.

'Fostering Allows You To See and Know Everything'

Foster carers are also able to spend plenty of time with the animals they care for, providing invaluable insight into the animals' behavior and needs, which can be vital for finding their perfect match during the adoption process.

The viral video shared some other quirks about Phoenix: "You don't know that they hate the cold but love walks and will brave the winter just to spend some extra time with you. You don't know that they prefer turkey over beef but prefer cucumbers over everything," poster Isabel said.

Emphasizing how essential fostering can be, she said: "Fostering allows you to see and know everything. It allows the dog to show you exactly who they are, in every big way and every small way, and it allows us to meet them exactly where they are."

In hundreds of comments, people were quick to share their reactions to the video, with many saying they were inspired to think about starting their own fostering journey.

"You inspired me, I filled out an application," viewer Anita wrote. While one TikTok user said: "My dog is a foster fail. I got to know her and fell in love. The idea of explaining her quirks to someone else and then saying goodbye was too much."

Another commenter said: "Love this! My first foster dog is coming in two days. I'm excited and terrified!!! Thanks for sharing your experience."

Newsweek reached out to @simonsits via email for comment.

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