THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING FOSTERING!

Dive right in by clicking the application link button above.  For answers to some common questions- see below.

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WHAT WILL FOSTERING COST ME?

Close to nothing, as we will supply almost everything you need including crates, litter box and scoops, routine veterinary care, emergency veterinary care, medications and even food & toys, if you need them.  

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WHAT DOES THE SHELTER EXPECT OF ME AS A FOSTER HOME?

• Communication with the shelter about how you and your foster are doing.

• As a foster home, we ask that you share pictures and info about your foster to help them find a forever home (the exception is court cases when animals are in protective custody or when the foster coordinator asks you not to for other privacy reasons).   

• We invite you to attend outreach events/ adoptathons with your foster.  Come have some fun and show them off!

• As a foster home, we ask that you be able to get your foster to vetting appointments when scheduled- or to the shelter so they can be transported to scheduled appointments.  We will try to work with you to accomodate your schedule as much as possible. 

• Ask for help if you need it!  We are here for you for whatever questions or problems you come across. 

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WHO CHOOSES WHO I FOSTER?

You can choose who you would like to foster or we will help you choose.  Depending upon what your preferences are for fostering, we may contact you and ask if you're available to foster someone.  For instance, if you prefer to foster tiny kittens, we will contact you when we have those that need a quiet place to stay until big enough to be adopted.  Or you may see someone in the shelter you'd like to help especially and ask if you can foster them.  

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WHAT IS FOSTER-TO-ADOPT?

Foster-to-adopt allows potential adopters, living in Washington County, to apply to foster-to-adopt in order to house them in a healthy, home environment.  If you are interested in adopting an animal that has yet to be altered, an approved foster-to-adopt contract (HSOV Adoption Application) is required.  Read more about foster-to-adopt. 

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HOW LONG DO FOSTERS USUALLY STAY?

The length of stay for a foster depends on many things such as age, health, breed, etc. As a general rule, puppies and kittens stay until at least 8 weeks of age, so their time with you will depend on how old they were when you took them home. 

 

Injured or sick animals also will need to stay normally until well or recovered and ready for a forever home.   

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If you are fostering a senior animal, those can be harder to find that special someone willing to give an older dog or cat a place to rest his/her head, so you should expect that they could be with you for several months.

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WHAT IF IT DOESN’T WORK OUT?

While we do our best to match the animals with a foster home where it will do well and thrive, there do come times when problems arise with a foster in its foster home. When this happens, we expect that you will notify us of the issues and if we cannot help resolving them, we will ask you to return them to the shelter.  We do ask that you give us as much advance notice as possible when things are not going well so that we can be prepared for their return and possibly find another foster home for them.

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WHAT IF I DECIDE I WANT TO KEEP MY FOSTER?

That happens a lot.  It is hard to care for an animal and then let it go.  Let us know if you are having trouble with the thought of saying goodbye.  We have been there and can help you through it, or help you adopt the animal you are fostering.

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WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

Just shoot an email to director@hsov.org if you still have questions after you review our Fostering 101 guide.

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READY TO JUMP IN?

Click here to fill out the foster application. Once you are approved as a foster home, you’ll receive a phone call from your foster coordinator to discuss the type of animal you feel would be the best fit for your home and life.

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