Fostering Animals in Need: What Potential Caretakers Need to Know

"Foster caretakers are central to most rescue programs, few of which have centralized facilities for rescued animals. In fact, many rescuers prefer not to use group shelters for animals because individualized care in home settings has many advantages. Proximity to large groups of animals can be very stressful for animals, exacerbating some issues and camouflaging others. Foster homes, in contrast, provide environments like adopters’ homes, making evaluation of the animal more accurate and preparing him better for his new home and family. Foster families provide their charges with basic training, and are in an ideal position to observe and assess the animals’ reactions to children, other pets, men, women, strangers, storms, noise, activity, and other everyday events that could trigger potential problems in an adoptive home. Foster caretakers’ observations can be indispensable when it comes time to match the animal to an appropriate adopter.

"Before you volunteer to foster, please assess your situation carefully and be realistic. Fostering can be hard work, and can disrupt your home life, sometimes in unexpected ways. Introducing “just one more” animal into your home can create chaos during the adjustment period or longer. And although most caretakers never experience a problem, the job is not without risk."

©2009 Sheila Boneham.
From Rescue Matters! How to Find, Foster, and Rehome Companion Animals, Chapter 2, which discusses the risks and rewards of fostering, and other aspects of volunteering, in detail.

"I have been 'rescuing' for years, but last year began rescuing from kill shelters. I had no idea what I was getting into, and wish I had read this first. Absolutely FILLED with common sense advice, tips and how-to's, no rescue organization or individual should be without this. It is the Rescuer's Bible." - K. Gardner, review on amazon.com. 

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Personally autographed copies available here.


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