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We are thinking about becoming foster parents for a dog rescue group The problem his, how do you choose which one? There are SO many of them that is it is hard to figure out which one would be the best fit for our family.
Any advice from people who have work/worked with rescue groups?
Ask a lot of questions. You need to know exactly what is expected of you and what they will be covering. They all vary so much. Some expect you to take care of everything - literally - for the pet, including monthly preventatives. Others will cover every single expense including food. I've let my fosters tell me what they can handle. And I had one that really took advantage of me.
Also, ask to talk to some of their other fosters. Ask them if they're happy, if they've had any problems or unexpected things come up. Talk to the vet and make sure they're good about getting help for their fosters if something comes up. A vet is a great source of how good a rescue is. They know the ones that do the basics and skimp on their health and the ones that really truly care.
Find out if there are adoption events too and if you're expected to be there. Above all else - THANK YOU!! Fosters save lives and are needed like you could never ever imagine. You're our life line out there and grateful to you beyond words!
I've fostered for a couple different groups, and learned a lot.
1) Find out how you will get the dog. Do you pick the one you want from a list? Do they ask you if you'll take specific dogs? Can you request something specific (under x lbs, not a puppy, etc)?
2) What shape will the dog be in when it gets to your house? Will it have been vetted? Will it have been evaluated for good temperament? Will it come straight from the shelter to your house, or is there a halfway home it goes to first?
3) What happens if the dog doesn't work out with your situation--especially if you have other animals in the home? Is there a plan in place to get the dog out of a potentially dangerous situation? What kind of support do they offer to foster families? Is there a behaviorist on staff to help if the dog has any issues? Do they have a partnership with any trainers?
4) What role do you play in finding the dog its forever home? Are you expected to advertise the dog on petfinder/craigslist/at the dog park? Does your rescue take care of this? How many adoption events are you supposed to attend with your dog? Do you get to meet/interview potential families? Do you get veto power?
5) If something comes up or you go on vacation, is there a plan in place for a temporary foster while you're gone?
6) If you fall in love with your foster, what are the rules about adopting it?
And of course find out what you're responsible for financially--vet bills, food, etc.
Cali brought up a good point! If you have pets of your own make sure you're not getting pets that are coming straight from a shelter. It's common for them to come in with intestinal parasites, kennel cough, etc. You don't want them around your pets until they've been in quarantine at least two weeks. I have a quarantine room in my house and all animals I pull go there immediately and I don't allow them to be adopted or fostered until that time is up. It gives me a chance to make sure they're not carrying anything and to evaluate their temperament before they go to a foster home.
To give you an idea, this is how we work it:
Requirements to foster are the same to adopt. If you rent we have to confirm it's ok with your landlord. If you own we check your insurance policy before we let you foster any dog that may be on a BSL list to make sure you don't get in any trouble. Fosters must be kept indoors.
We require you be available for the pet to make at least two adoption events per month. You do not have to attend, but at least be able to meet us along our route to get the pet or bring the pet to the event and pick it up after.
We provide what you request. I've had fosters that have provided everything including monthly preventatives. I've had one that I provided everything for the foster and I provided her pets annual vaccinations, their food, her cell phone and gave her money for a vet bill and fuel costs. I handle each foster individually based on their request.
I allow my fosters to either choose a dog already in our program that's not in a foster home or I let them decide which dog from a shelter they'd like to foster. When someone wants information on their dog I give them the basics - adoption fee and all it includes, our requirements to adopt as well as the process itself. If they want info on the dog after that they are referred to the foster parent who will have more information than I do. If they decide to adopt, the foster is given all the information we gather and they're welcome to join me for the home visit. They do get a vote in whether or not the adoption goes through but the final decision is made as a group by the board. If the foster feels very strongly one way or the other then it's my decision and I have full veto power either way.
My fosters are allowed to purchase medications and take the animals to our vet and place bills on our account. I also allow them to use our account for their personal pets. It's been handy in one case where a foster's personal pet was very sick in the middle of the night and their vet wanted $250 up front just to look at their dog. I had them call ours and he met them there and put it on our bill and they just paid it off over the next few weeks. They also get discounted medications, preventatives, vaccinations, etc. that way.
I try to make sure my fosters know how important they are to us and to the animals. I can't afford to pay them to foster, so I try to take some financial burden off them for their own pets. We have monthly meetings that all volunteers are welcome to join and I send out our quarterly financial statement to all fosters so they can see where we stand. I try to not keep anything hidden and be as open and honest with them as I would with anyone else. I think since they're doing so much for us we should at least let them see how they're helping.
Just be careful because there are some mighty unscurpulous rescues out there and one really took advantage of me and my husband . I really want to adopt one of the fosters and they told me I could not because that would take away space for another foster and then we paid for everything as well and then she the foster lady came and got the dog right out of our house and said she had a new home for her and then she told me to own the dog I would have to paid the 400 dollars right up front , that is why I will never foster again . I also found out that this lady was getting the dogs from these free websites and then placing the dogs into foster to be adopted she may have pd 25.00 for the dog and then turn around and ask 400.00 dollars , when my husband and I found that out we told her no more ever again ...
Just be careful because there are some mighty unscurpulous rescues out there and one really took advantage of me and my husband . I really want to adopt one of the fosters and they told me I could not because that would take away space for another foster and then we paid for everything as well and then she the foster lady came and got the dog right out of our house and said she had a new home for her and then she told me to own the dog I would have to paid the 400 dollars right up front , that is why I will never foster again . I also found out that this lady was getting the dogs from these free websites and then placing the dogs into foster to be adopted she may have pd 25.00 for the dog and then turn around and ask 400.00 dollars , when my husband and I found that out we told her no more ever again ...
I hate that you went through that. That rescue should be charged with fraud. We need people willing to help and any rescue that blows it has essentially helped killed more dogs.
Our policy is no dog is available to it's foster for adoption unless it's been in the program 90 days. It's so easy to fall in love with a foster and later realize it probably wasn't the best idea. We want to make sure the public has a chance to adopt before they're placed in foster homes forever. That said, two of my fosters have adopted their foster pets. And I have made an exception to that 90 day policy if I feel it is meant to be.
Hey Mrs: After reading this thread, and your comments, I am thoroughly impressed with how you handle your rescue, and it gives me hope that rescue, fosters, and adoptions *can* in fact work for the best of the animal as well as the humans involved.
After picking Kizzy up off the streets, it's become very important to me to get my future pets from rescue or shelter situations. (I grew up in a family that always had purebreds from breeders, which certainly is not bad in and of itself, but you know...) I have issues with rescues that have the attitude that they're doing *me* a favor by maybe, possibly, letting me have an animal, if I fit their criteria.
I give you all of the kudos in the world for doing what you do, and for taking each circumstance individually. And, I sincerely hope that those who would give of themselves to foster animals, would look to someone like you to give their time and energies to.
You have certainly restored my faith in the process, and thank you for that, and for everything else you do.
Some organizations that have bricks and mortar shelters have "weekend" foster programs that give the dogs a chance for a few days in a home environment which can be a real help with dogs that don't do well in a shelter setting such as older dogs who were beloved pets whose owner died and it can take a bit longer to find a home for an older dog. If there is a program like that in your area you might try that to test the waters and see how it works for you.
Another possibility is short term foster such as this: A pure bred Great Dane is at the municipal shelter and we contact dane rescue. They want the dog but need a little time figure out which of their foster people will be able to take it and to arrange transport. So one of us will take the dog for a week or two until it can go to the other group. There are also dogs who need short term foster care while they recuperate from an illness or injury and need more one on one care for a little while.
Be realistic with yourself and the group about what you can manage well. A half dozen malnourished four week old pups that were found in a box by the dumpster will require a lot more time/work than a single, housebroken adult dog. How much training will you be expected/need to do? Do they send you to an obedience class with the dog if need be? Many owner surrendered dogs are given up because the dog has behavioral issues, generally because the owners never bothered to devote any time to teaching basic good behavior, they just assumed that the dog should understand English and know what they mean when they say sit, or quiet, or no jumping.
I can pretty much guaranty that you will find the experience to be very rewarding, even when it is sometimes hard work.
I would always choose the Dogs Trust, they never put a healthy dog to sleep. They carefully select the dog's compatibility with the potential new owner's lifestyle and offer continuing support for the duration of the dog's life.
Not to mention where a dog needs ongoing treatments they will help towards the cost of such treatment.
I am disappointed with the RSPCA the one association that could and should be the best unfortunately isn't.
Thanks mishigas73. I'm so glad you're a supporter of rescuing pets. They certainly need all the help they can get.
Good point Zugor. Good intentions are wonderful, but definitely make sure you are totally honest with the rescue about your training experience and how much time you will be able to devote to fosters.
Suei, glad you found a rescue you're happy with. There are wonderful rescues all over the country. Sadly, not all of them are so great.
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