What is a foster parent?
The Animal Adoption Center relies on the generosity of foster parents to provide loving and temporary homes for the dogs in our program. Dogs do not stay overnight at our facility so foster homes are where they spend the majority of their time until they find their perfect forever home! Foster parents provide an in-home experience which helps prepare the dogs for placement with their future adoptive family by giving them the opportunity to learn valuable household manners. Additionally, foster parents help us understand each animal’s particular needs and determine the best long term placement for each dog. Adoptable dogs are in their foster home full time and only come in to the AAC to switch to a new foster or to meet a potential adopter! Their lives are filled with love and adventure until their forever family finds them.
What is involved?
The AAC provides a foster bag with everything the dog will need for their foster period. This includes food, treats, toys, a bed, a crate, and anything else that a specific dog may need. Sometimes we need a foster for just a night or two, other times we are looking for someone to take a dog for up to a few weeks. Some fosters sign on to a dog as their long term foster until they are adopted. We welcome anyone who is interested in becoming a foster parent whether it is just for a night or two or longer term.
Why are foster parents needed?
Some animal shelters are forced to euthanize hundreds of healthy and friendly animals each day to make space for the new ones coming into the shelter. Foster parents maximize the number of pets who can be saved by playing an indispensable role in preparing dogs for their future homes. It is a truly rewarding way to help an animal in need. Each time a dog stays at a foster parent’s home, we are able to learn more about the dogs personalities; their likes/dislikes, their optimal living environment, as well as any potential issues or quirks that we may need to address. The dogs benefit immensely from the individual attention, affection, socialization and additional exposure to the public that foster homes offer. In addition, fostering is the best way for potential adopters to get to know a particular dog better without any commitment until they find that perfect match! Want to understand why foster programs are beneficial to shelters? Here is a study proving that foster programs do indeed help homeless dogs find their forever families quicker and allows shelters to save more lives!
What animals need fostering?
Dogs and puppies stay in foster care until they are adopted. Puppies require extra love, attention and structure as well as longer term foster care to ensure they are healthy before being available for adoption. Puppy fostering is a great way to discover whether or not you are ready for the responsibility of raising a young dog. Periodically the AAC needs cat foster parents to provide a kitty or litter of kittens with health or behavioral concerns with a little extra love and attention.
How Our Volunteers Help
Questions? Call 307-739-1881 or email adopt@animaladoptioncenter.org