FOSTERING
Fostering is the backbone of our work, without fosters we would not be able to rescue, rehome, and/or accept animals into our organization. Fostering is crucial to continuing our work and operating our organization.
If you would like to foster with our organization please fill out the application below by clicking the link provided!
Thank you so much for your time and we will reply to your applicaiton, if eligible, within 2-4 business days. Please remember, fostering saves lives.
What is Fostering?
Fostering helps pets show off their best side: Unsurprisingly, many pets experience high levels of stress while in the shelter. This can result in some animals withdraw and become timid, while it can cause others to display hyperactive or even aggressive behavior. When you foster a pet, you give it a safe space where their true personality can begin to shine through.
You’ll know what they need in a forever home: As your foster pet settles into life in your home, you’ll get to know them as an individual. You’ll learn their likes, dislikes, and any quirks that they may have. This is especially important when matching a pet with a forever family, as you know first hand what type of home would best meet their needs.
You can teach them important skills: Whether you’re fostering a puppy, kitten, or pet that hasn’t spent much of their life indoors, fosters play an important role in teaching pets how to be comfortable in a home. Whether this is getting a head start on house training or simply getting them used to the sounds and smells of inside, you’re helping them have an easier transition to their forever home.
You’re saving more than one life: When you take an animal out of a shelter, whether temporarily as a foster or forever as an adopter, you’re making space for another animal in need. This is especially important to keep in mind when it comes time to bring your foster to their forever home. As hard as it is to say goodbye, by doing so you’re able to help more pets.
How can I become a foster parent?
Once you’ve found an organization you want to work with, you’ll be asked to fill out an application (link can be found below this article) where you share information about yourself, your living situation, your experience with pets, whether there are any other animals in the home, and the reason why you’re interested in fostering. This will help the rescue get a better idea of what pet would be a good fit for you.
What are my responsibilities are as a foster?
PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES! If you are not photo-savvy please reach out to us and we would be happy to help. However, photos remain one of the best ways to get your foster dog/cat adopted and have interest generated in him/her
You are expected to transport your foster pet to our partner veterinarian when necessary (Vet expenses covered by us)
You are expected to write & send via text a bio/paragraph about your foster's personality, quirks, and any information that may be helpful to future adopters
For dogs, you are expected to work on basic training such as house-training, leash-training, and crate-training. These skills ensure your pup is "adoptable".
For dogs, you are expected to exercise your dog, pee-pad training is not recommended, and minimal exercising will lead to a frustrated pup who is under-socialized, and under-exposed to the comings and goings of the outdoors = anxiety/fear/unwanted behaviours and reactions!
For cats, you are expected to keep the litter box maintained & keep him/her stimulated indoors via play, feeding puzzles, and affection (if they accept it). You are also expected to keep your cat safe from escaping outdoors; this includes but is not limited to, watching when opening/closing back and front doors, especially if you have a busy household; make sure windows have screens and cannot be easily removed/pushed out or pulled in.
What are some tips for first-time foster parents?
If you’ve never fostered a pet before, you might be a little bit nervous before your new friend arrives and that’s okay! Taking on a pet, whether for the short or long term is a big responsibility. To help you feel a bit more prepared for your first foster, we’ve put together some tips you might want to know.
Have everything prepared before your foster arrives: Start by doing a walkthrough of your home and making sure that everything is 100% pet-safe. Next, check with the organization your foster is coming from to ensure that you have all the necessary supplies. While many provide the basics, you may want to pick up a few items, such as toys, as a welcome gift.
Be prepared to be flexible: One of the aspects of fostering that some first-time foster parents struggle with is the fact that you don’t know how long a pet will be with you. Some pets may be with you as little as one day while others could be there for months – though the average tends to be a few weeks. You can rarely know exactly how long a pet will be in your care, so you need to be flexible when it comes to timelines.
Saying goodbye is the goal: You’ll inevitably bond with your foster, especially if it’s your first, but try to remember that saying goodbye is the goal. When you say goodbye it means you’ve helped your foster find a family that will love them forever, and you are opening up space in your home to help another pet in need.
If you’re ever considered fostering a pet, there’s never been a better time! We hope that we’ve given you a good overview of what you need to know about becoming a foster parent, but if you still have questions don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
Info taken from: https://freshpet.com/en-gb/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-becoming-a-foster-pet-parent/#/