Today we’d like to introduce you to Caryn Sokol.
Hi Caryn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Bosley’s Place is a puppy rescue, specifically focused on saving orphaned neonatal (under 4 weeks old) puppies. Puppies become orphaned either due to nature (complications with the mother) or by nurture (irresponsible actions by humans). We are 100% foster based and care for even the most fragile babies. We bottle feed around the clock and have the capability to provide critical care for the puppies that require it. The rescue originated over a decade ago and I have been volunteering and supporting the Founder/Director (Jennifer Siegel) and her mission for most of that time. Bosleys Place is run 100% by volunteers and 100% with donated funds.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always struggles when starting a new organization. Mostly these are simply growing pains that are addressed throughout the ongoing learning curve. First and foremost, we always want to be sure we’re providing the highest level of care for our rescue puppies. After rescuing thousands of neonatal puppies, we’ve learned a great deal and have ultimately become specialists in this niche rescue area. Secondly, over the years, we needed to build infrastructure to ensure that all facets of the rescue are supported and well running. We provide a great deal of support for our foster families and a great deal of education for our adoptive families. The goal is to set the humans up for success so that we can set the puppies up for a long life in homes where they are loved, valued and respected.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a volunteer at Bosley’s Place, serving on the Leadership Team and contribute in areas including adoptions, foster mentoring, fostering, marketing, training, etc. I’m most proud of the level of care that’s provided to Bosley’s Place puppies. I find it very rewarding to bottle feed neonatal puppies and watch them grow and develop before my very own eyes. I find the ages of 4-6 weeks a real sweet spot of “adorability” as the puppies are gaining mobility and coordination and turning into playful little beings. I also am personally rewarded by nurturing them and helping shape a puppy into being a wonderfully well-adjusted companion for someone else. While it’s hard to let a foster puppy go, it’s completely heartwarming to hear how much a family has been enriched by a puppy you raised and there’s nothing greater than seeing your foster puppy so well loved and thriving. At Bosley’s Place, we pour a lot of heart and soul into our puppies. Because we specialize in neonates, we require a special type of foster home that has the patience, bandwidth, schedule and heart to bottle feed and/or tend to the weaned puppies.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
As far as the head of the rescue having a mentor, we really had to forge our own path. Most puppies don’t start visiting a veterinarian until several weeks old because their mommy is caring for them. There wasn’t a lot of information on caring for orphaned neonatal puppies. The Director of the rescue (Jennifer Siegel) had to self educate, along with seeking guidance from our trusted puppy pediatrician, and is now a leader in the field, often contacted by other local rescues seeking support and advice for this very particular niche.
For foster families within our rescue, we provide a tremendous amount of support and mentorship so that our foster families can thrive in their experience of doing life saving work. We loan out all equipment, all food and medical costs are covered and we provide written support material covering many FAQs. But most importantly, each foster is supported by an experienced Foster Mentor who is there to support, guide, instruct, trouble shoot and sometimes cheerlead (when needed). This is a vital area of the rescue that has grown over the years and has only become more and more developed to ensure the best care for our puppies and the most positive experience for our fosters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bosleysplace.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bosleys.place?igsh=MWY5Y3huN2czaGR5dw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1N2eDD3PmH/?mibextid=wwXIfr
