FOSTER FAQS & APPLICATION

FOSTERING SAVES LIVES

Thank you for considering fostering to directly save the life of a homeless animal! We are so happy you are here.

Please revieW before completing foster form below:

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO FOSTER FOR?

We expect you can foster the dog until it is adopted (average time is usually 4 to 8 weeks) however, we can never tell the exact length beforehand. Some dogs may be adopted before 1 month - if your dog happens to be adopted in a few days, we may ask you to foster another dog. Interested in Short-term fostering only? We may be able to use your help with dogs already in foster homes if their fosters are going on trips.

We will not be able to pull a dog out of the shelter for short-term only fosters. Because we do not have a facility or place to drop off the animals, it is important we have placement in plan for them before they arrive.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME AS A FOSTER?

The most important role as a foster is providing a safe and nurturing environment for your foster dog.

Some common categories your foster dog may need help with could include: house-training, leash-pulling, jumping, digging, and other normal dog behaviors. Please keep in mind, these animals are coming from highly stressful situations and have been in multiple homes that each have their different rules and schedules. We expect fosters to be patient and understanding, allow a dog time to decompress (this decompression time can take a few weeks); we expect fosters use positive reinforcement only and never excessive force or physical punishment.

We also ask our fosters:

• Take lots of pictures and videos of their dog to help us promote them for their ideal home

• Keep open, consistent, and clear communication w/ HFP (Both are vital to a dog’s successful placement and to your foster experience).

• May be expected to take your foster dog to at least one vet appointment

• Meet potential (pre-screened/pre-approved) adopters - These meets will only be with good potential matches who have already undergone the application, interview and virtual home check process w/ HFP Admin. Meets are either at the foster’s backyard, can be at the adopter’s home, or a neutral location (not for puppies). There may be 2 or 3 meets over the course of your time fostering before a dog is adopted.

• PLEASE FIND MORE INFO ON BRINGING HOME YOUR FOSTER DOG HERE.

DO YOU COVER VET CARE?

We're responsible for all necessary vet expenses. Please review our policies listed below.

DO YOU PROVIDE SUPPLIES? 

We provide food, leashes, collars/harness, bed, medicine, toys, treats, monthly preventatives, and crates for our foster pups to borrow (or anything else that is necessary for the dog). If you have these supplies on hand, that’s wonderful and appreciated! All supplies must be returned to HFP when your fostering period is over.

DO I GET TO PICK MY FOSTER DOG? 

We do our best to match you with a dog that fits your household, experience, and lifestyle. However, sometimes the nature of Rescue and securing of an animal can be critically urgent, so your most “ideal” foster dog is not currently available, but another one whose life depends on it may need help more.

We post daily pleas for dogs on our radar, through facebook.com/heartsforpawsrescue and instagram @heartsforpawsrescue. Once your foster form is submitted, we will also add you to our Foster List. Keep an eye out for 1-2 x weekly emails of “HFP Foster Needs” as they change day by day.

WHAT IF I WORK FULL TIME? 

No problem! We have lots of fosters who work full time. We'll help you find a lower-activity adult or senior dog that's a good match. A dog would much rather be left alone in your home while you're at work than left in the cold and scary shelter.

WHAT IF I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT? 

“Yards don't exercise dogs, people do!” Many of our fosters live in apartments and have discovered that fostering a dog has “forced” them outside more, increased their steps/activity, and provided a wonderful excuse to adventure, hike, and hit the trails! Honestly, a foster dog doesn’t need a huge farm to thrive; he or she is simply happy for a warm bed & a caring person.

WHAT IF I WANT TO ADOPT? 

If you fall in love, adoption is a possibility! Foster parents have to go through the same basic steps as any prospective adopter and will need to pay the required adoption donation. Please note that it is not a guarantee that you will get to adopt your foster dog but if it is the best match for all fosters do get priority. If you'd like to consider foster-to-adopt from the get-go, please complete an adoption application here. If at any point you are thinking of adopting your foster dog, please start that line of communication with HFP sooner rather than later. Early discussions, even before a final decision is made, are helpful to everyone in this process.

WHAT IS FOSTER-TO-ADOPT? 

Foster-to-Adopt is a great option to get priority on a dog that piques your interest, but is still at the shelter and so has limited background info available. This provides you with a trial of sorts in your home environment (priority period of 3-12 days), and allows HFP to save a dog. If you decide it’s not a forever match (unless it’s an emergency), you do commit to fostering the dog until we can find adopters or more permanent placement. If you change your mind about adopting and no one else has a application on file, you do still get priority to adopt. We kindly request supplies back should you choose to adopt.

WHEN SHOULD I INTRODUCE MY FOSTER DOG TO OTHER DOGS AND PEOPLE?

All dogs are individual and have individual needs and timelines. You must be ready to play this by ear, but as a general rule of thumb we do not recommend introducing your foster dog to any animals or children outside of the home for at least a few weeks. Your foster dog and you need time to get to know one another and build a healthy relationship first. We do not recommend having lots of new people over to your home the first couple of weeks fostering (and if you do we recommend putting your foster dog away in another safe space like a room or crate).

As beginning precautions: We ask fosters to cross streets on walks if you see other dogs; no dog parks; and if someone asks you if they can interact with your foster, to kindly respond the dog is a new foster and you are still getting to know them. It is best to start things slow than throw too much too soon at your foster dog.

ANY OTHER TIPS OR INFO?

Fostering is one of the most rewarding volunteer experiences you will be a part of, but expect some speed bumps along the way: a chewed shoe, a few nights of waking up at midnight, potty accidents, and a lot of time and patience, especially in the beginning as your new dog learns the ropes.

The dogs are often coming directly from a very stressful shelter stay where they have spent weeks, months or even years. They have had no stability, structure, or a person to call their own for a long time. They will need time to decompress, and adjust; it is the fosters responsibility to provide a caring, patient, and positive environment.

We strongly recommend keeping the dog’s world small for the first few weeks by keeping environments controlled. This might mean not introducing the animal to new people/dogs outside of the home for a while. We rely on you to take pictures, videos, and stay in touch to help promote your dog for adoption. What you put in is what you get back. Fostering has the potential to not only change the life of an animal, but change yours as well.

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW HFP FOSTER POLICIES:

Veterinary Care Policy: As a donation-based 501c3 rescue, we provide veterinary care for conditions that appear to be serious or life threatening that we deem is ethically necessary.  To determine whether treatment is ethically necessary, HFP reserves the right to make all decisions regarding whether a condition is considered life threatening and/ or ethically necessary.  Foster families who disagree with the decisions of our directors always have the option of paying medical expenses themselves. For minor conditions that are not life threatening, we may allow the dog to recover on their own before seeking veterinary care. Please keep in mind that many shelter animals come to us with kennel cough or skin irritations and have already started medication they may need to continue in your foster home. Most dogs will be vaccinated at shelters prior to their arrival but may still need to be dewormed, flea treated, microchipped (all provided by HFP) and or spay/neutered (arranged and covered by HFP). If you are unsure about a medical need/condition of your foster dog in your care, contact HFP immediately. In case of an emergency, contact HFP immediately.

Off-Leash Policy: HFP has a strict policy that rescue dogs may not be let off-leash in an unfenced area during the duration of the foster arrangement, or brought to dog parks.

Animal Return Policy: If you feel the need to return your foster dog, please contact HFP. We will first open lines of communication to figure out what is going on and see if there are any steps we can first implement to make the placement more successful. If the placement will not work, HFP will try to make immediate arrangements to transfer your dog to a different foster. However, we cannot guarantee that this transfer will take place within a certain amount of time – it may take a few days, up to a few weeks. If adopters return your foster dog within the first six days, we kindly ask you receive the dog back into your care. If you have informed us ahead of time that you must stop fostering on a particular date, we will absolutely accommodate.

Release of Liability: HFP makes every effort to communicate breed, age, health and behavior information about each rescue animal accurately.  We often rely on the health and behavior evaluations of the shelter before receiving an animal; As a result, we require foster families to release us of all liability resulting from any wrong or incomplete information they may receive about a particular animal. Dogs may also act unpredictably in new environments, new situations, with new people, and when scared/stressed. This is why we suggest the first week or so to not introduce the animal to new people or new animals in the home. When incorporating a dog successfully into your home with other pets, keeping the animals separate in the home, always monitored when together, and going for on-leash pack walks is the best way to integrate animals with one another. Foster families must release HFP of all liability for any injuries or accidents that result from their rescue dog and also accept liability for any incidents that arise out of introductions of rescue animals to third parties. HFP does not require foster families to socialize dogs with people outside of their immediate family, and any decision to do so must be taken solely at the risk of the foster family.

1. By completing the form below, you are acknowleding you have read, understand and agree to the terms and policies stated above.

2. After submitting your foster form below, please email pictures of your home/yard/current pets (if applicable), to info@heartsforpawsrescue.com.

We are excited to welcome you to the HFP Family. On behalf of the dogs still waiting for a chance at life, thank you!