A few weeks ago, I fostered a dog for the first time from Cincinnati Animal Care (CAC) after they put out a desperate plea for help during a significant snowstorm and brutal cold stretch. They were asking the community to step up for dogs stuck in the shelter, and we were happy to help.
When we arrived, we waited over two hours because there were so many people there. I didn't mind the wait -- it actually made me happy to see so many dogs going home. Eventually, we were given a dog named Ace. We were told he had some minor tremors and visual deficits, but no one explained why or gave us any real medical history. He was on medications, which didn't concern me because I'm an experienced ER nurse and comfortable administering meds.
I initially agreed to foster him for one week to help during the storm, but after seeing how sweet, calm, and loving he was, we decided to continue fostering him until he found either another foster takeover or, hopefully, his forever family.
However, as soon as we got him home, it was obvious he was sick. He was coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and had nasal discharge. I reached out multiple times to the foster team. It took a few days to get a response, which I tried to be understanding about given the snowstorm. When they did respond, they asked for a video and then told me to come pick up antibiotics from the clinic. No one physically evaluated him. No exam. No in-person assessment. But I wanted him to feel better, so I picked up the antibiotics and started them that evening.
Thankfully, he began improving and adjusted well to our home and resident dogs. We were initially told he was dog and cat friendly -- he was absolutely NOT cat friendly. Fortunately, we were able to safely separate them.
Over the next few weeks, we fully embraced him as part of our family. We bought him a new collar, harness, toys, and special food. We gave him structure, warmth, love, and consistency. We had no intention of taking him back to the shelter -- we planned to continue fostering him until he found the perfect home.
Then everything changed.
One night, Ace suddenly began vomiting and then experienced a prolonged grand mal seizure that lasted several minutes. We called the emergency foster line over nine times. Each time, we were routed to an automated message saying to call back if it was an emergency. Eventually, I received a text telling me to call again if it was truly urgent.
When I finally reached the foster manager, I explained that Ace was still unresponsive, drooling, and not returning to baseline. As an ER nurse, I know what a medical emergency looks like. This was one. I was told it was NOT an emergency and to bring him into the clinic the next morning.
I repeatedly explained that he was still altered and actively symptomatic. I also explained that I had to be at work at 6 AM, had no way to transport him in the morning, and could not safely monitor him overnight while he was crated and then left alone once I went to work. I even called both my regular veterinarian and the emergency vet -- both told me he needed to be seen immediately.
Despite this, the foster manager continued to say that if I chose to take him to the emergency vet, I would be financially responsible. This back-and-forth went on for nearly an hour while Ace was still in a compromised state.
They finally agreed to allow us to take him to the emergency vet "for observation," stating they would pick him up in the morning, call us with an update, and that we could bring him home afterward.
We rushed him to the emergency vet. The staff there reassured us we absolutely made the correct decision. They wanted a full history and asked us to stay while they stabilized him, which we gladly did. We didn't leave until almost 2 AM -- four hours before I had to be at work -- but Ace's well-being was worth it.
The next day, we heard nothing. I texted the foster manager twice with no response. When we finally called, we were told Ace was "fine," but that they felt we "weren't fit to be fosters" because we went against their advice -- which they claimed was in Ace's best interest. We were told we would never see him again and that if we ever wanted to foster in the future, we would need to schedule a sit-down meeting to review expectations.
I was stunned.
We opened our home during a crisis. We medicated him daily. We advocated for him when he was sick -- twice. We stayed at the ER until 2 AM to ensure he was stable. And somehow we were the problem?
The reality is this: this decision was NOT about Ace's best interest. It felt like it was about avoiding an emergency vet bill. Communication was poor from the beginning. We were not given complete medical information. Our concerns were minimized. We were initially denied emergency care during an active seizure. We were promised updates and the opportunity to bring him home -- and that did not happen.
If you're looking to foster, I would completely AVOID this place. read more
