Before You Foster

Are you able to separate the foster pets from your own?
You should have a place where you can isolate your foster pet from your own companion animals. A separate room or enclosed area with no carpet will work best.

Before You Foster
Are you aware that there is a great deal of clean-up and even possible damage to your home when you take a foster pet home?
Foster pets have ruined drapes, carpeting, clothing, and other valuable items. Preparing your home and the area the animal will stay in can prevent most accidents, but not all of them!

Are you able to monitor the health of the foster pet?
You will need to pay attention to signs of illness or worsening of symptoms and call the shelter or rescue group if you are concerned. Before taking in a foster, ask the Foster Coordinator what to look for. If you see troubling signs, the coordinator will help you decide if you should bring the animal in for treatment.

Can you get to the shelter’s vet quickly in case of an emergency?
The shelter works with local vets who will treat your foster pet at no charge to you. If the animal you are fostering needs medical attention, you will need to transport the your foster to the vet’s office or shelter for care.

Are you emotionally prepared to return the pet after the foster period is up?
It can be very difficult to let go once you have become emotionally attached to an animal! Be prepared for tears and heartache when the day comes that you must bring your first foster pet back to the shelter. But remember, he or she is now much more likely to find a loving, permanent home because of YOUR care!

Can you place your trust in the shelter staff to decide what is the best for the animal?
Sometimes adoption is not an option even after a pet has been fostered. Knowing that an animal you have fostered may need to be euthanized can be very hard to deal with.

Do you feel comfortable explaining to friends that these pets are not yours to adopt out and that they must go through the regular adoption process at the shelter?
If you are interested in helping to find a home for your foster pet, refer your friends and family to the shelter to complete an adoption application.

Qualifications
To be a successful foster parent, you will need a compassionate nature, the cooperation of your family or roommates, flexibility, and some knowledge of animal behavior. You also must understand that there is a possibility that the foster pet may or may not be adopted when returned to the animal care center. The length of time a foster pet may stay in your home varies with the animal’s situation.

You will be asked to fill out a foster application and you may be asked to attend a training session. Shelter staffers will conduct a home visit prior to your receiving your first foster pet.

Foster Policies and Procedures
The animal shelter has its own policies and procedures when it comes to fostering.

Most likely, the Foster Coordinator will work with you to identify the type of pet you should foster (puppies, large or small dogs, cats, etc.). The Foster Coordinator will contact you when a suitable pet is in need of fostering.

The animal shelter require that a foster parent’s own pets are up-to-date on all vaccinations before the volunteer can foster.

The animal shelter will provide the foster parent with food and supplies for the pet’s care.

Preparing Your Home
If you are fostering kittens or puppies, remember that they will play or chew anything they can find, including drapes, electrical cords and lampshades. So be sure to kitten-/puppy-proof your home.

Supplies You May Need:

A “house” for the pet: You can use the carrier in which you took the animal home, a crate or a cardboard box — anything that will provide the pet a familiar-smelling, dark, quiet refuge. A large cardboard box comes in handy if you have a mother with a litter of kittens or puppies.

Water: Provide access to water at all times. Remember, young animals can drown, so make sure the bowl is very shallow.

Food: Speak with the shelter or rescue group about what kind of food, the amounts and how often to feed your foster. The shelter or rescue group will also tell you if the pet you are fostering needs any special foods, supplements or diets.

Litter box and cat litter for foster cats: Cats will instinctively use a litter box and mom will begin teaching her kittens how to use it. You can use a shallow litter box or an old cake pan. Speak with your shelter or rescue group about whether it prefers you use clumping or non-clumping litter, as some require non-clumping litter for kittens younger than four months old.

Heating pad or hot water bottle: Depending on how warm your room is, these extras will ensure that everyone is comfy and cozy. If you use any of these items, be sure that there is space for the pet to move away from the heat in case she is too hot, and always place heating pads on the lowest setting.

Toys: Go crazy if you want! Mice and buzz balls make kittens happy and can be reused as long as animals do not have any contagious diseases. Kittens can amuse themselves with empty rolls of toilet paper. Empty cardboard 12-pack soda boxes are good for a number of different games. Clean tennis balls, old socks stuffed with nylons, caps of liter soda bottles, and paper bags make great toys as well. Young kittens don’t respond to catnip, but mom will like it.

Scale: Although not critical to success, a food or postal scale is very helpful for monitoring small kittens’ growth, which averages four ounces a week.

Other considerations: A bottle of enzymatic cleaner for accidents; a rope or carpet scratching post; and adoption applications to give to people who are interested in your foster care animals.

When to Return a Foster Pet to the Shelter
If you’re fostering it is sometimes difficult for shelter staff to predict the exact date when the pet will be ready for adoption. Several factors contribute to this decision:

Did the puppies/kittens gain enough weight?
Are the animals healthy and recovered fully from illness?
Are they successfully weaned from their mother?
Have they been successfully socialized?
Is there room at the shelter?
Because of these variables, the foster pet may not be ready for adoption by the date on your foster home contract. Please call the Foster Coordinator to make an appointment to return your pet. If your foster pet checks out okay, you will leave him at the shelter. If not, you will take him back home for a specified number of days and have him rechecked. Your flexibility and patience are always appreciated!