foster

Ever considered fostering a dog for Rescue? Not sure how to go about it? A little worried you'll get stuck with the dog from hell?

Fostering is hard; harder than any other part of Rescue. You bring
a stranger into your home, try to be kind, healing, and helpful, and
you are uncertain what response you will get. Some of our rescues
are so grateful, so relieved, and so happy to be with you that you are
immediately glad that you volunteered. Others are frightened, injured,
in pain, wanting their old family, and are stressed to the maximum.

Step 1: Let us know you are interested in fostering! We will talk to
you about your home situation and ask questions about how you are
set up. Do you have other dogs, cats, children, a fenced yard? Are you
home all day or gone for 12 hours at a time?

Step 2: Each time we get a dog that may need a foster home, we send out a notice to a list of foster volunteers. If you let us know that you are available, we tell you about the dog we have. Some dogs cannot be around cats, some we are unsure of around children, and still others may have special medical needs or be recovering from surgery or an accident.

Step 3: If the match seems right, we arrange to get the dog to you. Sometimes things don't work out. If your Daisy thinks that this new dog is the worst idea you ever had, she may make the foster dog's life miserable. Maybe the dog we thought was quiet and shy suddenly becomes a whirling dervish after a few good meals and a nights rest. If this happens we make a change as soon as possible.
However, if you took the dog in, you do have to keep it until we find another foster home. That means making special accomodations sometimes. Keeping dogs separated, keeping your cat in the bedroom, caring for an ill dog for a day or two. Foster homes are rare. We treat them like gold. Fosters need to be super responsible, have the world's biggest hearts, endless patience, and complete empathy for the dog that has been abandoned.

Length of Stay: Fostering is sometimes a day or two between transports to a dogs new home, but often it is a couple of months while the dog recovers from a spay or neuter, and we look for a permanent home.

Potential New Families: Depending on the dog, the potential new family, and where you live, visits for new families to meet the dog are generally handled by rescue. They are usually scheduled at a nearby park or on a walk in your neighborhood. Foster families are not expected to look for a permanent home for a dog, but if they find one they can suggest, we are thrilled!

How much does Fostering Cost? Fostering a dog does not mean spending a lot of money. Each person has a budget and we understand that. When we place a dog in a foster home it has been our experience that the foster family usually buys the food. Rescue makes decisions about any necessary medical care and other expenditures. It is the responsibility of the Foster Family to give the rescue dog safe haven, to comfort the dog, keep it safe, and learn about its personality. The more we know about a dog, the easier it is to make a perfect match when re-homing the dog.

What if I want to keep a dog I am fostering? When we place a dog with you, there will be a history on the dog. There many even be a potential home in the future, a family that is waiting for your foster dog. We will let you know about this before you take the dog in. If you fall in love, we really want you to have your foster dog if possible!

Is fostering easy? Absolutely not! Is it rewarding? Without a doubt!