Foster Highlight: Cara Tirrell

We appreciate our fosters and have asked them to share their stories.

Foster: Cara Tirrell

How long have you been fostering? 

Fostering for Baypath since 2018

Was there something specific that made you want to foster?

I have fostered dogs for American Lab Rescue for over 10 years and had a beloved cat for 20 years, once she had passed, I wanted to connect with cats again, in our home. They provide a different type of love and need than dogs. We’ve had a few foster fails, where we’ve adopted three of our fosters, but continue fostering kittens, to get them acclimated to being in a home and having the best chance of getting adopted.

What impact has fostering had on your life? 

Since we began fostering for Baypath, we have discovered our mission to provide a safe and healthy home for dogs and cats, to become well adjusted to family life and ready for adoption. We loved every single pet and feel a sense of loss for that pet when they leave, because the mission of a foster is to let go of the pet, so we can help as many animals, as possible.

Do you have a funny or special story or a special foster to share?

So far, my most favorite fosters end up being the kittens. They were so small we didn’t know if they’d make it through the night, but they did and those are usually my favorite. We had one litter, where three of the kittens were adopted by a childhood friend so I still get pictures and visits with them. One of my favorite things that Baypath allows is that we get to name the kittens in a litter. I consider it an honor to name kittens, who were thrown away in the garbage or a junkyard because naming them allows them to be valued for the wonderful pet they are.

Is there anything else you would like to add or include? 

I’ve been asked how can I ever let the fosters go? I like to explain that I want to help in every way I can. It is true that it is hard to say goodbye and I do love them more than myself, but fostering literally saves lives.