How you do it.

We take on a lot of animals. Not as many as some of the fosters we know, due to time, energy, and space, but we tend to stay at (reasonable) capacity.

Most people, though, aren't shown an animal and told, "If you don't take this home, it will die." It's a hazard of the job. You always have the option to say, "No," and no one will be offended, but it is a very guilt-inducing situation. I have plenty of coworkers who simply don't foster, all for very good reasons*, but I would say 80% routinely foster and 90% have at least once.

We currently have one dog, two kittens, and a rabbit. The dog was in a cell for six months before we took and was losing her mind. We've had her for five months; she can't be adopted out or rescued because of her pending court case, which has been dragged out to the point of foolishness. The kittens were still too young to eat solid food when we got them and would not have survived on their own. The rabbit would have been euthanized two separate times if we hadn't decided to adopt him.  They are all unwelcome here, with no consideration. If a residence is so heartless that it will not give an animal a safe, temporary haven, at no cost to the property, then it is not where we belong.

I would encourage everyone who has space in their heart and home and a little spare time to take in an animal in need. It really does save a life. Letting go is always hard, but there are always more to help.

*One coworker, who works in Receiving, stopped fostering as often when she had to euthanize her own kittens because she was the only one on duty who could do it. I think that is enough to force anyone to take a break, if not permanently.