A Generation Z woman has left internet viewers in tears with some of the most-heartwarming stories of the 30 dogs she has fostered.
When Madison Mauch, of Lubbock, Texas, was in college, her love of fostering animals truly began. Animals have always meant so much to her, so, by the time she left dorms and had enough space of her own, she knew she wanted to help those who need it most.
Pet overpopulation is a real issue across much of Texas, and Mauch, 26, told Newsweek that the situations are “life or death most of the time.”
As a student, she headed to the local shelter to see if there was anything she could do—and that is when she met sweet Charlie. He is a pit bull and Labrador retriever mix, and Mauch fell in love with him immediately.
“The officer suggested I take him home for a few days since he was stressed in the shelter, and I ended up adopting him before the week was over. He’s the sweetest, goofiest guy, and he really started my love for fostering,” Mauch said.
Since then, she has continued to help whenever she can. She has now fostered 30 dogs, including ones who were due to be euthanized, found on the street, or in need of medical treatment.
Among those include Willie, who has severe skin conditions that weren’t being treated; Mary, a pregnant dog who stumbled onto Mauch’s porch during a snowstorm and later gave birth to eight puppies; Buddy, who was hit by a car and covered in scars and ended up being her longest foster of nearly a year; and Earl, a Great Dane mix who was due to be put down in 20 minutes if Mauch didn’t save him.
It is not just dogs either, as Mauch has even opened her home to Honey the cat, who was sick and needed a loving home to recover.
“They’ve all meant the world to me, but I found I really love medical fosters,” Mauch said. “Seeing them improve so drastically is so rewarding. I was also very attached to Mary who gave birth in our home during a winter storm. Watching her and her puppies thrive was incredible.
“They are all so hard to say goodbye to, but saying goodbye allows us to take on a new dog. I cry every time, especially when it’s a dog I’ve had for an extended period of time and bonded with,” Mauch continued.
Most of the time, she fosters dogs one at a time, especially as she already has multiple of her own. However, there have been urgent cases when she needed to take in an emergency short-term foster who was due to be euthanized if they didn’t find a safe home that day.
When Mary had her litter of puppies, Mauch was caring for 13 dogs in total, which was tiring but “so rewarding.”
After taking Willie the medical foster dog in a few weeks ago, Mauch has now adopted him. Once he is fully vaccinated, she will open her home once more to another foster.
Mauch continued: “I encourage anyone considering adoption to give it a try. Shelters aren’t just full of abused or difficult dogs. I’ve fostered some of the sweetest, best-trained adult dogs. You can even find purebreds. I’ve fostered German shepherds, a Belgian Malinois, and Labradors, and I’ve seen almost any breed you can imagine in shelters.”
Mauch often documents her experiences on social media (@madisondawnmauch) as she hopes to show others just how fulfilling fostering can be. A post shared in August highlighting some of the stories of her 30 foster dogs has melted plenty of hearts online, leading to more than 145,700 views and over 18,100 likes at the time of writing.
Many of the dogs have become TikTok sensations, as internet users feel so moved by their stories. Even if people can’t commit to fostering, Mauch encourages them to help in other ways—such as donating, taking a dog out for a few hours, posting their pictures on social media.
There are so many ways to change a dog’s life, and it is something that Mauch will continue doing for many more years.
“My biggest dream is to one day open my own rescue. That’s what I’m saving for, and I can’t wait for the day it becomes a reality,” Mauch said.
“Fostering doesn’t have to be a huge commitment. Even if you just have a few days, opening your home makes such a difference for a dog in need. Rescues can usually match you with a dog based on your preferences. Just be up front about what you can offer, and they’ll find the right match.”
Hundreds of TikTok users have praised Mauch for devoting her life to these animals who need it most, leading to more than 360 comments on the TikTok post so far.
One comment reads: “you’re amazing, I wish I could afford to do this. Dogs deserve the world.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “This is amazing and makes me think maybe I can do this.”
A third person replied: “this is really beautiful, it inspires me to foster one day.”
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