April 2025 – Gwen Godfrey
We are so grateful for Gwen’s compassionate support of our mission! A few words from Gwen about their fostering journey:
“A Journey from Selfish Love to Selfless Rescue”
My journey into fostering began for purely selfish reasons—I simply love dogs and wanted to surround myself with them. Little did I know, that decision would change my life.
Our first foster, a wild little puppy, zigzagged between our legs so much that we named him Ziggy. He was full of energy, mischief, and endless love. I almost became a “foster fail” right out of the gate, but I knew I couldn’t adopt the very first dog we took in. Saying goodbye was tough, but seeing him find his forever home was even more rewarding.
Not long after, we welcomed Pepper, our second foster. He had a severely broken leg that required amputation, making him our first experience with a medically needy dog. Caring for him shifted my entire perspective on fostering—it was no longer just about having more dogs in my life, but about giving these animals the love, stability, and care they desperately needed. Sometimes, we were their very first real home. In the end, we couldn’t let Pepper go, and a year later, we couldn’t be happier with our decision to adopt him.
Though we’re still relatively new to fostering, with only five dogs under our belt so far, we know this is just the beginning. Fostering has become a lifelong commitment, and we can’t wait to continue opening our home and hearts to dogs in need.”
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If you’d like to learn more about the rewarding volunteer opportunity of fostering, please click here: https://ofosa.org/become-an-ofosa-foster/.
Our fosters are our biggest asset, please join our team!!
Foster Some Love!
March 2025 — Chelsea Willis
We’re thrilled to honor Chelsea Willis as OFOSA’s March Foster of the Month!
Chelsea’s fostering journey is an inspiring one. She had always dreamed of fostering animals, and when she finally had the space and stability after buying her home in 2022, she wasted no time making that dream a reality.
She began fostering cats through Multnomah County Animal Shelter and soon expanded her efforts after seeing an emergency placement post from Portland Dachshund Rescue. From that moment, she was hooked! Chelsea’s passion for helping animals continued to grow, leading her to also foster through OFOSA and Cat’s Cradle Rescue.
In just two years, Chelsea has fostered 25 cats and dogs, giving each of them a safe place to heal and grow before finding their forever homes—though she admits to just one foster fail along the way.
“Each animal that comes into my home leaves a lasting impact, and while it’s never easy to say goodbye, I take comfort in knowing they’re going to loving homes where they’ll continue to thrive. Fostering has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life—watching them come out of their shells, heal, and find their forever families is a wonderful feeling. No matter how bittersweet the goodbyes, I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything.” – Chelsea
Chelsea documents her fostering adventures on Instagram at @cantrip_fosters, sharing heartwarming stories of transformation.
Inspired by Chelsea’s story? You, too, can make a difference! Join our foster team and experience the joy of saving lives. Fill out an application today:
Become an OFOSA Foster
Foster Some Love!
