Fostering A Dog: How It Works

 

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes 

Summary: In this blog, learn how to foster a dog, what fostering a dog entails and how the process works... 

 

Temporarily fostering animals can be a highly rewarding experience as well as incredibly helpful thing to do. Fostering a dog can help give them a break from the shelter they’re staying in (perhaps to help them recover in peace from a minor surgery) or support the local animal organisation that they’re registered under, particularly if they’re overcrowded. But, it can also be a large emotional undertaking – particularly when you’re expected to give the pet back...  

You may be looking into fostering because you want to help out your local shelter, you can’t commit to adopting an animal full time, you’re curious about pet ownership, your existing pet may benefit from a companion, or you simply love animals!   

So, let’s explore it together. How does fostering a dog work?  

How Does Fostering A Dog Work? 

Unlike adoption, animal fostering is when you look after a pet on a temporary basis – usually one that is waiting for their forever home. It can be incredibly beneficial to the animal’s stress levels which in turn contributes to better health and behaviour. It could be argued that pet foster parents are enabling their temporary pet to become their best, happiest selves which ultimately will make them more appealing to those looking to adopt a dog.  

Most people are allowed to foster too as long as their home is clean, safe, compassionate, patient and loving. You may also be required to participate in training and/or transporting the dog to different adoption events or appointments. Different shelters require different specifications, so for exact requirements you’d need to investigate with the local shelters in your area and see which ones you and your home meet. This will include things such as whether you can have children, other pets or need a garden. 

In order to get going on fostering, the first thing to do would be to set up a conversation with your local shelter or animal rescue.  

PetLab Co. Pro Tip: Always be honest with the shelter you’re fostering from about your circumstances otherwise you may be paired with an animal who isn’t suitable. This may cause them unnecessary distress if their needs cannot be met in your home.  

Fostering A Dog: How Long Does It Last? 

Fostering can last anywhere between 24 hours and several months. It will vary pet by pet. If you have a restricted time period in which you’re able to foster, make sure to communicate this to the shelter you’re liaising with.  

Do You Get Paid To Foster Dogs?  

Before we get into this, if earning money from fostering is your only motivation, fostering probably isn’t for you right now. Foster animals need pure love, care and devotion and it may actually cost you money at times.   

The conditions of fostering will vary shelter to shelter. Many shelters will provide you the basics like food, collars, leads and bedding. Some will also provide medical support. Others may ask you to take on the animal and provide for them financially too as their funds cannot stretch that far. The best thing to do is to ask the shelter for a breakdown of costs you’re expected to cover whilst the pet is in your care.  

Foster Failing 

It would be naïve to think that taking in a dog (or cat!) temporarily wouldn’t sometimes result in the need to adopt the animal you’ve taken in forever! Playfully known as a “foster fail”, sometimes foster pet parents can’t bear to say goodbye to one of their fosters because they’ve created such a strong bond with the animal. If this happens to you and your foster, it’s imperative you communicate this to the shelter ASAP so they can stop other prospective adoptive pet parents falling in love with them too.  

PetLab Co. Pro Tip: If you share your home with others, particularly children, it’s worth thinking about the impact of parting with an animal on everyone who will be contributing to their care and life at your home before committing to a foster.

Sources

Author Davidson, Ashley “Everything You Need To Know About Animal Fostering” Be Chewy, Sept 07. 2022 https://be.chewy.com/want-to-foster-an-animal-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/  

Author Geier, Elisabeth “How To Foster A Dog 101: Everything You Need To Know” The Dog People, Powered By Rover, Sept 01. 2022 https://www.rover.com/blog/dog-fostering-101/