How to Become an Animal Foster Carer

The 6 Steps to Becoming a Pet Foster Carer

Are you in the right place to become a pet foster parent? If so, that’s great news! There are hundreds of pets in your region being rescued, abandoned or in need of temporary care in a loving home. Shelters are often filled to the brim and organisations cannot keep all the animals they save or take in. That’s where you come in. If you are in the right place in your life to start taking in temporary rescues and strays until a permanent home is found for them, they are lucky to have you. To see the best success in each animal fostering experience, it helps to be fully prepared. Make your plans, prepare your home, prepare yourself, and finally prepare each pet who comes to stay with you so you can give them the best opportunity for success. Here are our top six steps to becoming a successful pet foster carer.

1) Decide what type of animal you wish to care for

What kind of pet foster carer will you be? Some people are “dog people”, others are “cat people” and some like both equally. Some have a knack for smaller pets, and others have the skills and temperament for delicate or exotic animals like lizards, birds, turtles or native mammals.

Knowing the type of pet you will foster helps you prepare for the experience and assist you in deciding on which pet rescue organisation to assist.

2) Find pet rescue and care organisations

Next, look up the local rescue and care organisations in your region. These are groups that regularly handle rescued pets and need foster parents before permanent pet owners can be found. You will find a number of local shelters, but there will also be smaller volunteer-run groups in need.

Do your research, find out who each of these organisations is, how they work, and how fostering works and their approach for pet rescues and re-homing. Naturally, you want to work with a group that is both close to home and has values and a process you agree with. Their process should also work with your lifestyle and ability to foster.

3) Reach out and ask important questions

Before you commit, reach out to each of these organisations and ask a few important questions. Answers to some of the following questions will give you an idea of the values of your chosen organisation, but also what your fostering experience, resources provided and expectations of each party will be like.

Who provides the resources such as food, medicine and veterinary treatment if required.

• Some programs provide all of the resources you need to foster; some may expect you to provide everything.

Will you be required to help in rehoming the animal?

• Many organisations manage re-homing with foster carers just providing an interim home. Some, however, expect fosters to seek out new owners, which you may or may not prefer.

Does the animal have any planned veterinary procedures? How will you be involved?

• If you have a sick or injured rescue, they might need visits to the vet. Ask how the organisation will handle and pay for these visits.

What happens if you can’t cope or can no longer continue to care for the foster pet?

• Everyone gets stressed, overwhelmed or experiences unexpected life changes. Foster animals rarely stay forever, so what happens when you need to bow out? Find out if there is a way to exit your arrangement (or temporary break) when you sign up.

Can you adopt the foster pet if you want to?

• Some programs let you adopt your fosters and feel this is a happy, permanent home and for some, it is against policy. Decide how you feel about their policy before starting out.

How long can you expect to foster the pet for?

• Fostering can last anywhere from a day to a year, so ask what the average foster length is for each rescue organisation. Determine how long you will expect to keep and care for each pet.

Can the pet be left alone?

• For each pet, ask if they can be left alone. Some animals need 24/7 care, which you may or may not be able to provide. Some are peaceful and good to nap all day. With others, you can go to work and leave them at home, and some make great boarders as long as you work from home.

Are you expected to train the animal?

• A good foster home can leave a rescue better trained and better prepared for life with their future family. But not all fosterers are trainers, and some organisations may expect regular training activities from foster carers.

Do you have access to a trainer, behaviourist or veterinarian if you have any issues?

• If you foster a pet who has a medical or behavioural problem, what resources can you access? Ask your organisation if they have professionals on-staff or on-call who can help you with a troubled foster pet.