I would love to be a foster mom...but how?

[Hudsons~Mom]

After reading some of the stories on here....I have thought about it lots and I think I want to become a foster mom....how do I go about it?? What is involved with being a foster mom? Can I still be one and work full time? Does it cost me anything money wise to become a foster mom? So may questions.....

[Dax]

You can contact the SPCA or any of the rescues. They have an online volunteer section.

[FairyDogMother]

I just started fostering dogs recently (I did foster cats before). I got my house where I wanted it to accomodate a few dogs, researched some of the organizations around here and finally choose one. The one I choose had the same ideals as I have, there are no barriers on size, age, breed (pure or mixed) & are willing to get something like surgery's done & help them through the recovery process. I basiclly interviewed a few of them & when I had decided that I would like to work with them, they interviewed me. Then came the home inspection. The day after the home inspection, I was meeting a larger group of fosters and bringing the first one home. Tomorrow I'm getting my 4th one. I only take in 2 or 3 so that I can work with them, excersize them & soclialize them along with whatever else they may need and that includes my own dogs (the care not the quantity). 6 total in the house, for now anyway.
Cost: I bought some crates that I preferred. I considered it an investment in my endeavor. Since I got the first few dogs, I've also picked up some additional collars & leashes, my choice as well. New owners will come with their own when they pick up the pup. Mostly, I'm responsible for feeding them, treats for them & I keep a decent selection of toys around. I have taken on everything but the vet bills.
Every rescue is a little different. I will eventually have to do home inspections & I have had potential adopters at my house to meet fosters.
You really give up most any free time you have now. There's alot more poop to clean up. Right now is a really slow time of year for adoptions so you may have dogs alot longer at certain times of the year.
Oh, and I do work full time. They keep me very excersized & busy. I'm still pretty green but I truly love & believe in what I'm doing.
If I didn't answer some question, don't hesitate to ask me more. If I can help you out, I'm more than willing to try (no promises but an honest try!) If you decide to go forth with this, best of wishes to you. I think it's a very important role and very valuable too.

[dobermom]

Great advice so far.

Honestly I dont know of ANY rescue NOT looking for foster homes! Good foster are just so hard to come by.

Frist, you need to decide what your able to foster. Consider age, sex, size, and breeds. Not everyone is able to foster a young Dane(me included )

Second, as far as cost generally the foster home has little cost involved. The rescue will pay all medical, unless its something like your dog and the foster had a fight, most do not cover that. They do cover vacs, spay/neuter etc.
Personally as a foster I dont mind putting in a little money. I pay for my own food, treats, and toys. I usually by a leash and collar also. My fosters are treated as my own. What my dogs get, my fosters get.

Thrid, think about where you will keep your foster. Do you have a extra crate? Is your yard fenced? What if your dogs and the foster dont get along? Do you have ways to keep them seperate?

Fourth, time...Do you have the time to dedicate to another dog? YOU as the foster are responsible for amking this dog adoptable.
Persoanlly I work LONG hours, but I have someone come over to let my foster out mid day for a potty break.

Thats the basics I hope it helps.

[fairlight]

When forstering a dog who pays for the vet bills and the dogs food. I know many dogs come in pretty badly broken up. My husband and I were looking for a great pyr last year to call our own. There were two who caught out fancy. Both were posted through Petfinders. My husband and I called. One lady was very upset and said we had to get permission from petfinders to visit her house, the other lady was totally frigid to our response. I asked we we could set up a meeting to come see the dog and she said "NO WAY....you people live to far and I'm not going to travel it!" It was maybe a whole 25 miles away...My husband and I offered to meet her half way so we would meet on neutral ground. The nasty ole witch would not even work with us. My thoughts are maybe she wanted to keep the dog for herself. In the end it all worked out well. We got Oso from our local newpaper. He was one of the best things we ever got.

[FairyDogMother]

Originally Posted by fairlight

When forstering a dog who pays for the vet bills and the dogs food. I know many dogs come in pretty badly broken up. .

As mentioned. The foster usually takes on the responisibilty for providing food, treats, toys, *collars & leashes (*usually stay with the foster).

The rescue group covers all vet costs. They do (or I do) have to make the vet appts and get the dog to the appts.
If a dog is under vet care because "it's broken" you would have to do what is necessary for their recovery as well as their adoptibility. Our rescue will place a special needs dog in a foster home that is not comfortable with handling their care.

With our group, once an application is considered a possibility, we arrange a meeting, usually at the foster's home, for the potential adopter(s) to meet the dog.
Once they've met and are still interested, we have any dog(s) they may already own meet our foster as well.
If all works out positively, we set up a home inspection. If that works out as well, we proceed with the adoption. We do not deliver, they do have to pick them up and complete the adoption contract at that time.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions.

[fairlight]

Yes Teresa it does, and thank you. I would like to ask your personal opinion though. If you wanted to foster a dog and you already have dogs of your own are you aprehensive about bringing another dog into your home? If your new foster has fleas...is he bathed first by the shelter and put on flea and tic meds before he/she comes to your house? What about shots? Our dogs are always current on shots but if you foster, what if the new dog brings some type of disease into your house. I will give you an example. A little over a year ago my husband and I adopted a 18 month-2 year old collie mix from our local shelter. To make a long story really short we had the dog 10 days before we had to have him put down to severe distemper. My vet said we had to wash everything in the house down with bleach and water and it would take a LONG time before distemper would leave the house. My inlaws vet said we had to wait 14 days, bleach down the house and THEN we could think about bringing in another dog. Finally, I was also told that with some cases of distemper, the disease NEVER will leave your home.

[dobermom]

Originally Posted by fairlight

Yes Teresa it does, and thank you. I would like to ask your personal opinion though. If you wanted to foster a dog and you already have dogs of your own are you aprehensive about bringing another dog into your home? If your new foster has fleas...is he bathed first by the shelter and put on flea and tic meds before he/she comes to your house? What about shots? Our dogs are always current on shots but if you foster, what if the new dog brings some type of disease into your house. I will give you an example. A little over a year ago my husband and I adopted a 18 month-2 year old collie mix from our local shelter. To make a long story really short we had the dog 10 days before we had to have him put down to severe distemper. My vet said we had to wash everything in the house down with bleach and water and it would take a LONG time before distemper would leave the house. My inlaws vet said we had to wait 14 days, bleach down the house and THEN we could think about bringing in another dog. Finally, I was also told that with some cases of distemper, the disease NEVER will leave your home.

YES, I am always apprehensive about bringing a new dog into the mix. Usually you have no history on the new dog. I have been VERY fortunate in the past few years, I have had only very minor incidents. IMO, you really need to know your dogs.

For your next question, every situation is different. Usually a foster is straight out of a shelter or a neglected home. The first thing I do is give a bath, second is shcedule their vet appointment. I am sure a rescue would be happy to work with you and perhaps have that done to the dogs before you got them. Every rescue operates different. The rescues I have worked with, I jump right into the "frontline of the war" I usually go and pull my foster dog out of its situation.

[fairlight]

So if a dog is out of a shelter, the shelter has HOPEFULLY given shots and has tested the dog for certain physical or mental problems. Now that I could do, but to jump right in there like you do dobermom I'm sorry to say I could not do it. God bless people like you who will take that extra step.

[dobermom]

Not all shelters do medical. Actually alot of shelter do nothing more then feed the dogs. those type of shelters are generally "high kill", Local Humane Societys are generally MUCH better.

What kind of rescue do you want to do? All breed, or breed specific? I am sure you can find a group that will be HAPPY to work with you and meet your needs.