Becoming a foster parent can be a HUGELY rewarding experience, but there are some things you consider:

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There’s a time commitment. You may be asked to foster a dog or cat from two weeks to two months, depending on circumstances. Foster parents don’t need to be home 24 hours a day, but you might have to postpone that weekend getaway or family vacation if you’re asked to take care of an animal for a while.

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Make sure you tell us what kind of dogs/cats you want to foster.  Only puppies?  Adult dogs? Special needs?  Make sure you express what you think will work best for your living situation.  

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You may be asked to work with a dog on some basic training and temperament issues. There’s more than just feeding, exercise, and grooming involved with a foster dog.   Some might need to be house trained.  Others may have problems with chewing, or jumping on strangers.  Foster parents may need to devote time to breaking bad habits so a dog can be socialized.  Patience is key.

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You might be asked to nurse a dog or cat back to health. It could require giving them medication at certain times of the day or perhaps bathing them periodically. 

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For many foster parents, the single biggest concern is falling in love, especially if you already have pets at home.  After all, what’s another dog or cat in the household?   It’s admirable, but as experts point out, it’s not always the best thing. If you adopt a pet that you’re fostering, you might have reached your limit of household pets and not be able to accept any others.  That’s one less foster home for the shelter to rely on.

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