Needy Paws Dog Rescue has put the call out for more foster carers as demand increases

The dog rescue has put the call out for more to take up the call to look after dogs and puppies temporarily, with just a handful of carers currently able to take dogs in while the number of dogs needing homes increases.

Amanda Rebetzke, a foster dog carer and president of Needy Paws Dog Rescue, said they needed a minimum of four new carers to keep up with demand.

"At the moment, we've only got three or four that are able to care and most are in the position to only take one dog at a time, and if that dog takes a while to rehome, then we're in trouble," she said.

"It's gotten to the point where the pound has had to send them to rescues out of town. We take what we can if we've got a carer available, but most are being sent out of town because we haven't got the availability."

She added that the job certainly had drawbacks, but that the benefits far outweighed the negatives.

"There's a lot of good that comes out of it. Most of my dogs are 'foster fails' that came back or couldn't be rehomed," she said.

"A lot of people think that they'll have the dog for a week and get it rehomed but some can be in care for the long-term - some get adopted in a week while sometimes it takes 12 months."

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She speculated that the rise in demand had come with increased costs of living, which also made it harder to find people to foster dogs in the interim.

"People just can't afford to have them anymore. We'd love to get more carers on board so we can get more involved ... just someone that's got a secure yard, a lot of love to give, and most of all, time. Just someone that has the love and care to give them."

Anyone interested in adopting a dog or serving as a foster carer can contact Needy Paws Dog Rescue on facebook.

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