Fostering a dog is just what it sounds like... bringing a dog into your home for a temporary period of time until it can find its “forever home”. 

 

You provide a temporary place for a shelter dog to lay its head, receive patience, love, and understanding, and we provide all supplies and support you need to make that possible. 

 

Fostering is quite a bit like adopting (only less permanent), in that we still need to be sure that the potential foster home is a good environment for a shelter dog. 

 

We need to know where the potential foster lives, and they need to be local to us. This one is a deal breaker, and so many times people get frustrated with us thinking it's because we don't want to be put out. That's not the case at all. 

 

Our fosters need to be close enough for us to do a yard check, but also close enough to bring their fosters to vet appointments, adoption events, fundraisers, and meet and greets with potential adopters. Living outside of a 20 mile radius of Sacramento makes all of the above nearly impossible.

 

We also need our fosters to be close enough to us that if they begin experiencing behavioral issues with their foster dog, we can send our trainer to work with them.

 

It's hugely rewarding, but also a huge commitment.

If dogs need to be kept separated and crate rotated, that's what has to happen.

If a cat is being chased, the dog isn't allowed around the cat. 

If things get chewed up, then things get chewed up. 

If a foster dog pees on the carpet, it pees on the carpet. 

Shelter dogs aren't going to come out of there perfect dogs that have no issues at all. They usually DO have issues. And we love them through those issues.

 

We clean up the pee.

We throw away chewed up shoes.

We crate rotate.

We get frustrated.

But we don't kick them out.

That's already happened to them once, and can't happen again. 

 

We provide EVERYTHING needed to foster a dog. Crate, food, bed, bowls, toys, leash, collar, treats, EVERYTHING.

We also provide a foster support page on Facebook, and trainer support if your dog begins to exhibit behavioral issues. 

Further, we  provide a “foster orientation” class and a “foster handbook” which contains any and all information you may have about policies and procedures surrounding fostering a dog for us. 

Not every rescue does this. We do it because we know it's not easy to foster. In fact, it can be really difficult sometimes. But in the end, the payoff is absolutely priceless. 

You will not only be part of the adoption process of your foster dog, but you’ll also be able to receive updates and stay in touch with adopters. 

 

If you’d like more information on fostering a dog or if you have ANY questions about becoming a foster parent, please don’t hesitate to reach out!