Foster Spotlight: Lee Asling
Lee Asling has always loved Great Danes, so when he thought about fostering, he contacted a rescue specific to that breed. The rescue brought over a Great Dane for a visit, and the first thing this 170 pound dog did was sit on a very beloved, and expensive, hydrangea in the backyard. Onto Plan B.
Last September, Lee, his girlfriend, and his eight-year-old daughter Ruby reached out to BARCS and applied to be fosters, and since then, they have fostered six dogs who have gone on to their forever homes.
The foster team at BARCS worked with Lee and his family to assure a good fit. “Any dog we foster has to be good with kids and other dogs,” he explains. “We live by Wyman Park, which is essentially a dog park, so there are dogs around all the time.”
And while Lee and his family have a cat, the cat stands her ground and the dogs have learned not to mess with her.
The fostering experience has also taught Lee to have an open mind.
“The first dog we fostered was Blanche,” he says. “While she was an older mix, she still had some puppy-like tendencies, like nipping when she got excited.” The Behavioral team at BARCS, via phone because of COVID, worked with him and solved the problem. “Whenever we have a question, BARCS is so responsive,” Lee says. “We can ask anything and they always are so helpful.”
Lee also admits that he had his own preconceived notions about pit bull-type dogs, but every dog they have fostered from BARCS, no matter what kind, have been loving and friendly.
His daughter Ruby is also thrilled to have a dog around the house. “It has been wonderful for her,” Lee says. “I mean, what kid doesn’t want to have a dog?”
And while Lee thinks at some point he may want to adopt a dog, he loves the flexibility fostering gives him and his family. “You can choose when you have a dog,” he says.
Lee has simple advice for anyone on the fence about fostering. “Try it,” he says. “Until you give it a try you won’t know if it is really for you.”
BARCS is thankful that Lee and his family tried it, because it is definitely something they love to do. Right now they are taking a short break, but it won’t be long before they welcome another foster into their home.
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