First and foremost, thank you for considering opening your heart and home to a dog in need, even if it’s only for a short while! Whether it’s a mom and her puppies that need a little extra love and care, or a shy pup that would thrive outside of the shelter environment, every dog can benefit from fostering. When you become a foster home for the Animal Resource Center, you’re helping us to achieve our goal of connecting as many pets as possible to loving homes while providing the individual love and attention they desperately need to find a forever family.
I’ve never fostered before – how will I know what to do?
First – congrats on being a first time foster! We’re thrilled to have you on board. Once your application has been submitted and you’ve been accepted into the program, our Outreach Coordinator will get in contact with you to set up a time for orientation and training. During orientation and training, we will go over the basics of fostering – feeding, health & wellness, behavior challenges, showcasing your foster, and the adoption process, should you find your foster pup a forever family.
How is it determined whether a dog is placed for adoption vs. foster?
Typically, if a dog is healthy, friendly, and well-behaved, they’re made available for adoption. Those that are placed in foster often require a little extra love, care, and training to help them find their forever family – that’s where you come in! By fostering a dog, you’re giving them the one-on-one attention they need to become an adoptable, well-adjusted canine companion.
Can I choose which dogs I foster?
After you submit your application and complete your orientation and training, we place you in our system based on the different categories you tell us you’d like to foster – behaviorally challenged dogs, dogs with medical needs, and neonatal puppies – or all of the above! From there, you will receive a daily email with dogs available for foster care, and it is up to you whether you would like to take on the responsibility of a particular pup.
There are also times when the shelter is at capacity or it is in the best interest of a dog to be placed in foster; these are typically dogs that for one reason or another are having a tough time getting adopted and would benefit from exposure to potential adopters outside of the shelter.
If there is a particular dog you’re interested in fostering, talk to us! We do our best to match each dog with the right foster and will try to accommodate when possible.
What are my responsibilities as a foster?
As a foster, you’re responsible for providing the love and care your foster pup needs in the form of feeding, playtime, exercise, training, etc. All these things are vital to helping a dog become the best they can be and finding them a forever family.
Speaking of forever families, as a foster, you’re also an ARC Ambassador! All that really means is as a foster, you’ll do your best to showcase your foster dog and find them a loving home. Whether that’s through social media or taking them out on the town, spread the word that your foster pup is looking for a home!
What costs are fosters responsible for?
Foster parents are responsible for the cost of food, crates, toys, treats, etc. Veterinary care is provided by appointment at our clinic. If an emergency occurs outside of normal clinic hours, fosters are expected to contact us. We will reimburse all reasonable expenses for authorized emergency vet treatment.
If you’re interested in fostering but worried about the costs, talk to us! We will try and connect you with resources so that you can still help.
What if a dog does not get along with my pets at home?
We understand that sometimes, a dog just isn’t the right fit for your home or with your pets. If you’ve taken the time to properly introduce a foster dog into your home and it isn’t working for one reason or another, you can return them to the Animal Resource Center at any time.
Choosing to become a foster volunteer comes with some responsibilities, but the reward is well worth it. If you’re interested in helping our pups find their forever families through fostering, complete the Foster Volunteer Application and either drop it off in-person or email it to us at ARCFoster@mcohio.org.
If you have any questions about the process or would like further information, please contact our Foster Coordinator at ARCFoster@mcohio.org or (937) 264-3327.