Foster a Rescue Dog

Grateful Dogs Rescue is always in need of new foster homes!  You can make a difference by fostering. The number of dogs we can save is dependent on having a place for them to stay until we can find them a loving forever home.

Fostering is the first step in giving a dog or puppy a second chance. For many dogs, the process of being kept in an unfamiliar shelter and then going to an unfamiliar home is very traumatic. While in a foster home, these dogs have a chance to feel safe, secure, and loved which will help prepare them for their new forever family.

Go to our Urgent Fosters page to see dogs that currently need urgent foster homes ASAP!

about-fostering

Above: Foster parent and puppy expert Michael. 

What is involved in being a foster family?

  • Providing temporary shelter and care for a dog or puppy.  This typically ranges from a few weeks to a few months.

  • Bringing your foster dog for his/her first veterinary appointment for a general health check.  If necessary, bringing your foster dog for follow up appointments.  All veterinary costs for your foster dog are covered by Grateful Dogs Rescue.

  • Preparing a short profile of your foster dog with a write-up and some photos. This will be posted on line to help give the potential adopters an honest description of the dog.

  • Bringing your foster dog to adoption events.  Grateful Dogs Rescue can help with transportation to and from adoption events.

  • Talking to potential adopters about your foster dog.

How we support our foster families

We try to find the right dog that will thrive in your home and provide an extraordinary network of people who will help make fostering an easy and rewarding experience for you.In addition to paying for all veterinary care, grooming, and behavior training for your foster dog as needed, we can help with:

  • Dog sitting while you are away on vacation

  • Extra supplies and incidental costs for your foster dog that you are unable to cover.

  • Anything else?  Just ask! We do everything we can to help our foster dogs and foster families

This is what two of our fosters have to say

Michael is our fantastic, longtime foster and puppy specialist. It was a lifelong dream of Michael’s to help animals and in the 10 plus years he has been involved with Grateful Dogs Rescue he has fostered over 50 dogs and puppies. Michael has kindly opened his home to many pregnant dogs and provided a safe and comfortable place for them to have their pups. Then, after the puppies are born, Michael diligently looks after these precious little creatures, checking on them every 4 hours around the clock and tending to those who may need extra medical care. 
 
Michael says some of his best memories of fostering are those of the sick puppies who look like they will never make it but pull through and are able to thrive and go on to their forever homes. 
 
If you are considering fostering for the first time or wondering how a foster dog will fit into your family, Michael has a few words of advice:
 
Know that once you start fostering your life will change. It’s a great way to get you feeling more empathetic towards things and it will bring your family together.

One of our other fantastic foster parents wrote this about the fostering experience: 

“Fostering isn’t for everyone but for those of us that do it, it is one of the most rewarding volunteer jobs I have ever done. Fostering means to my family, that we are giving a chance to those that otherwise would not have a chance through no fault of their own.  We treat each dog that comes out of the shelter and into our home like its a puppy so we set boundaries and guidelines for behavior and house manners and we do this for two reasons.  The first being that we don’t know the exact history of this dog so we don’t know if he or she has been potty trained or learned basic commands so we assume not for reason number two which is that we don’t assume or put expectations on the dog whether it is old or young because we don’t know if someone has given it a fair start in life.  By going about it this way, we don’t get frustrated or disappointed. 

We thoroughly enjoy seeing the transformation from a sometimes sad, lonely, sick or un-trusting dog into a beautiful pet ready to share their love with another family and we love giving the gift of a best friend to other people and families. My husband and I also enjoy the hands on learning experience that we are teaching our two young children about treating animals kindly, taking responsibility for someone other than yourself and the learning experience of giving.”

Foster application form
Foster application
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Describe your home: *
Are dogs permitted where you live? *
Will you be able to take you foster dog to weekend adoption events? *
May we visit your home before your foster application is approved? *
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