Foster A Dog
Do you think you could offer a dog a temporary, safe and loving home while they wait to find their forever home?
Take a look at our leaflet below and read on if you think fostering a dog is for you.
What do our dog Fosters do?
Exactly what any responsible dog owner does with their own dogs: -
- Provide a loving home
- Keep them safe
- Feed them
- Walk them
- Play with them
- Provide basic training (if required)
What are the requirements for a Foster?
- You must be over 21 years of age.
- Ideally you will have a secure garden, with fencing all around, appropriate for the size of dog you foster. For example, larger breeds require 6 foot fencing. However, a garden is not essential as long as you are able and willing to walk the dog regularly in all weathers.
How long do dogs stay with a Foster?
It can vary considerably. However, typically a minimum of two weeks to allow the dog to settle and be fully assessed. After that, it depends on whether the dog is immediately ready for adoption and how long it takes to find a suitable "forever home". On average we would say this is 6 to 8 weeks, but can be much shorter or longer.
Does it cost anything?
No. The dog legally belongs to the rescue while in Foster care, and so we cover all expenses. We provide food, bedding, toys, leads and collars as required. We also cover all approved and appropriate veterinary and medical costs. That said, many fosters will choose to buy the odd toy or treats, but it is entirely voluntary.
Do we get to choose the dog we foster?
Not exactly. The nature of rescuing dogs is we never know what dog is coming in next until we learn that they need help.
However, we recognise that most fosters have preferences. Some prefer larger dogs, some smaller, some older, some puppies. We will always do our best to match an incoming dog to a foster's preference, and also to their level of experience. It's very much a two way process and we will discuss with you an incoming dog and their needs so that everyone feels comfortable, especially the dog! We don't just turn up on your doorstep and give you a random dog!
Do we need previous experience with dogs?
While it's preferred, it's not essential. We occasionally get people who have never had a dog try out fostering to see if having a dog is for them. We love working with people like that as it's a really sensible approach to dog ownership, and a great way of finding the right dog for you in the long term.
Most importantly, regardless of your level of experience we will be with you each step of the way.
We already have a dog(s). Can we still foster?
Potentially yes. Some dogs are better suited to a household with other dogs, whilst some might need to be the only dog in the household.
We have children. Can we foster?
Absolutely. We will make sure that you are given a dog which has no known issues with children. Equally we need to be confident that older children know how to behave around dogs and that younger children are never left unsupervised with the dog(s).
We would like to foster. What happens next?
Get in touch. After an initial telephone conversation, we will arrange a visit to carry out a home check. This is a perfect opportunity for us to meet you, for you to get to know us a little and we will be able to answer any questions you may have.
