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Fostering A Rescue Dog

If you are looking for a way to help homeless dogs in your community, fostering is a wonderful way to get involved. Fostering involves taking an animal into your home and caring for the animal until it finds an adoptive home. Fosters may be with you anywhere from a few days to a few months, and can be a rewarding way to get involved in the animal community.

Many rescue groups will pay for the dog’s veterinary care and other expenses – all you have to do is provide a home and care for the dog. Reach out to your local animal shelter or rescue group and save lives by fostering. You’ll be saving the life of the dog you foster, as well as saving the life of the dog whose spot was opened up by you taking in your foster.

How to Ensure You Have a Good Foster Experience:

• Make sure your entire family is prepared to bring a foster dog into the home.
• Your own dogs should not be aggressive towards other dogs and should have basic obedience training before bringing any new dogs into the home.
• If you have a cat, make sure you introduce the dog slowly to your cat, and give your cat a safe, dog-free place to go to.
• Be prepared to potty-train your foster dog if necessary, and ask the rescue group if they can tell you about the dog’s temperament before bringing him home.
• Work with a rescue group that carefully screens fosters and adopters, and that works to make sure you find a foster dog that is a good fit for your family.
• If you have young children, be very selective about the dog you take in. Shelter staff can be pretty persuasive but only you know what you can cope with to keep all members of the family safe.
• Only foster from a shelter that is willing to take the dog back if things do not work out. No shelter should make you feel guilty if the fit is not right.
• Take time to train your foster in basic cues and manners. This will make her a lot more adoptable.
• Socialize your dog as much as you can, not just to people but to other dogs. A social dog is easier to place.
• Make sure the foster has no medical conditions or diseases that could infect the other animals in your home.

Related Reading:

• Photography Matters
• Tips for a Successful Adoption