Help your foster find their forever home with these tips!
The rescue and your case manager can do some things to help get your foster placed, but as the foster parent a lot starts with you since you have the most access. Below are some tips on what you can do to ensure your foster gets the best chance of finding a forever home. They are also available as PDF for easy printing.
FRESH PHOTOS
Keep taking photos. The PetFinder and AdoptAPet post can get stale. A cute new photo might get someone to give the post a 2nd look. We can set you up with a photographer, but a shy dog might not show their best that way. So keep snapping with your smart phone and maybe a great one will happen. Send new photos to your case manager to add to the post. You can also put it on GDR’s Facebook page and one of the page’s administrators can repost it to get it seen. And you can of course email us at [email protected].
Videos
Get a video! A photo can only be a moment in time, but a video can really capture personality. Send it to your case manager, and post it on the GDR facebook. You can also email us at [email protected] and we can feature it on the web.
“Adopt Me” bandana
Always walk your dog with an “Adopt Me” sleeve or bandanna on the leash, and be ready to talk to anyone that asks about him or her.
Post advertisements
One of our volunteers keeps all of the dogs posted on craigslist, but you can post there too. Even better join sites like NextDoor and post your foster dog there. Create an Instagram page for him or her,
Improve any issues
Work on the issues your dog might have. Talk to your case manager to get advice.
Update posts
Rewrite their post occasionally. Especially if you are changing out the photos or the original post was written when you first got your foster and they have changed as they settle in.
GDR posts on Facebook
Keep liking the GDR posts on Facebook. Getting more response to our posts will keep them higher in people’s feeds (at least I think that is how it works).
Go the extra mile
Do some cute things with the photos you take to make them stand out. See here for ideas: kenneltocouch.com
Be alert
Respond quickly when you do get an application.