Twelve is the charm – foster hero couple adopt the 12th dog into their home

For two-and-a-half years a dedicated Dogs Trust Ilfracombe fosterer has looked after 12 rescue dogs in his home – until one stayed for good.

Aidy Hammant-Shut and his wife Anita-Marie had taken on fosters from the rehoming charity until they could find their forever home, giving each one the chance to experience home comforts and prepare for their forever families.

When dog number 12 arrived in the shape of Kid the greyhound, aged six, the couple were sad to see him leave but thrilled when they thought he had found his new home.

Sadly he was returned soon after and Aidy resolved that Kid was never leaving again.

Aidy first discovered fostering after the loss of his own dog. He was volunteering at the rehoming centre as a dog walker but wanted to help more dogs, without the commitment of ownership.

Above: Kid the greyhound settling into his forever home with his former fosterers Aidy and Anita-Marie. Credit: Dogs Trust

He said: “Fostering was the perfect balance. I could still have dogs in my life and most importantly, help them on their way to new homes.”

Since then, Aidy and his wife have welcomed a wide variety of dogs into their home, helping them adjust to family life in a home instead of a kennel.

He continued: “The most rewarding thing about fostering is being able to give the dogs a fresh start. It’s such a great feeling to see them go up on the website, knowing you’ve helped them get ready for adoption. Even just a few weeks in a foster home can make all the difference.”

Then along came Kid, who spent 229 days in the charity’s care and despite being affectionate, playful and full of character, he was frequently overlooked.

In Aidy’s home, Kid quickly revealed his cheeky side and discovered his love for calm walks and quiet days with his favourite people.

When Aidy heard Kid’s initial adoption had failed, he didn’t hesitate to welcome Kid back into his home with open arms.

He said: “We thought he had found his forever home and we were so sad when he came back.

“We were going to take a break from fostering, but we just had to have him back in our lives.”

Now thoroughly spoilt, Kid enjoys family holidays, snoozes on his memory foam mattress and even attended a recent family barbecue – where he showed just how far he’s come by calmly resisting the food table.

For Aidy, Kid is a daily reminder of why fostering matters. He said: “He’s kind, loving and has a heart of gold. Fostering gave him the chance to show all of that – and now we couldn’t imagine life without him.”

Kid may be Aidy’s forever dog, but his story is just one of many. Thanks to foster carers like Aidy, countless dogs are given the opportunity to flourish in a home, making the transition to adoption smoother and giving them the best possible chance of success.

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Dogs Trust is updating the way it operates, with a focus on expanding its fostering network and providing a more direct rehoming approach from a dog’s previous home to its forever home.

As part of this process, Dogs Trust Ilfracombe will now focus on fostering. The charity says this means dogs will spend less time in kennels and more time in the home environment.

Visits to Dogs Trust Ilfracombe are now by appointment only. If you would like to apply to adopt a dog, complete an online application form and if a match is found, the organisation will arrange an appointment for you to meet them.

Dogs Trust Ilfracombe is also looking for more volunteer foster carers to support them, by temporarily opening their home to a dog in need.

If you choose to foster, Dogs Trust will cover all the costs and provide support every step of the way, leaving you to focus on providing the stability, love and care they need.

To find out more information or to apply to become a foster carer visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/foster