How to Foster a Pet

Fostering can be a gratifying experience for both you and a homeless animal (and there is certainly no shortage of pets that need fostering). Although you may not be able to keep the pet permanently, you are providing the best possible environment, along with plenty of love until he is placed in a forever home. Plus, you are alleviating some of the burden on overcrowded shelters. Fostering just one pet helps your community and makes a world of difference for that pet. Here are some ways to get started as a foster pet parent.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Consider that fostering a pet is temporary and be prepared for the day when a new home is found. Discuss it with your children and other family members and make sure they are prepared to be a foster family.

2. Search local pet publications and online for listings of animal rescue organizations and shelters. Most of them will have foster programs.

3. Choose a rescue organization or shelter that falls in line with your beliefs. Some organizations will euthanize animals that have not been adopted after a certain amount of time and others will not.

4. Decide how long you will be able to keep the pet. If it’s a puppy or kitten it will probably only be for a few weeks until they are old enough to be adopted. If it's an adult dog from a rescue group it might take several months until a home is found.

5. Figure out your budget and how much you will be able to allot for food, maintenance and medical attention for the pet. And keep in in mind--if you have love to give and it's only your budget that's standing in the way--many rescue organizations and shelters will cover the cost of veterinary services, and in some cases food for the duration of the pet’s stay. It is normally your responsibility to transport the pet to the vet and to any adoption events.

6. Foster a pet that fits your lifestyle. For instance, if you live in an apartment, you can request an older dog that is low energy or a dog recuperating from an illness or a cat. If you are an active family or have a house with a big yard, you can foster a pooch that needs plenty of exercise.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have other pets in the household, there are ways to help ensure that they get along with the new foster pet. (see Resources below)
• There are certain organizations that sponsor foster programs for people who are ill, such as those living with AIDS, so that they don’t have to give up their pets. In this case you would be helping both a pet and a person in need.
• Foster homes are also needed for service dogs that assist the disabled, such as the seeing or hearing impaired. Families who volunteer to foster service dogs often keep them for as long as two years while training them in obedience and socialization skills. It takes a special kind of family to love and nurture a service dog and then be able to give them up to help someone else.
• Don’t foster a puppy or kitten unless someone is home to care for them at all times. Puppies or kittens should not be taken on if both parents are working.
• Your foster pet may not be housebroken or the best behaved--since that could be what landed her in the shelter in the first place. Fostering will require love and patience and very often the proper training to get the pet ready for adoption into a permanent home.

Resources

• Introduce a Dog to a New Pet

[Tiawia]

on 12/16/2008 I'm getting three kittens tomorrow to foster and this really helped! The people that are helping us are providing all the neccassary needs for the kittens. Thanks again.