Fostering Animals

[havejoy]

Have anyone ever been a foster 'parent' for dogs?
Our Vet asked us to do this and we go fill out the paperwork in the morning. Will we be responsible for Vet bills? Will they inspect our home to make sure we have dog proof latches on our cupboards and dog proof inserts in our power points?

[BrotherBear]

*DO NOT* do this. Speaking from experience this is a terrible idea. More often than not the animal you receive is not domesticated and is wild or abused. You will suffer much damage as well as being under a watchful eye. I had a canine chew through a wall and 14/2 and end up being electrocuted. *I* had to explain why I left him alone in the home to get more food and I was constantly viewed with disdain and contempt. They actually insinuated it was a "trap" and willful abuse.

[havejoy]

We have un-officially fostered before for our vet. The 8 puppies she got this morning are in the custody of Animal control though so we have to go thru the paperwork process. I don't see it as a problem. We only do chihuahuas and medical emergencies. Neither is likely to do much damage.
Besides, all 3 of the dogs who own us are rescue dogs who had been abused. We help them get better.

[pam]

I don't know. I had a friend (I say had because she has passed away) that fostered animals all the time from the humane society. She absolutely loved it. In fact she was named one of Utah's women of the year for her work in this. She felt it was such a worthwhile cause to keep some of the animals from being euthanized and she was always able to find homes for the dogs she fostered.

[havejoy]

We were originally thinking about fostering children but my hubby wisely decided I should foster dogs first to see how it went. I have a hard time letting the dogs go even though I know they are going to good homes. My Vet is really picky. We decided I can't foster children because if they got put back in a dangerous situation I might end up in jail. (only half joking)

[anatess]

Fostering dogs is for experienced people who love dogs and know what to do with them. This applies to fostering any animal. Fostering is when you take care of the dog until it can be placed into a permanent home. This means - ALL the care you need for a dog - food, water, exercise, grooming, medical, behavior training/correction, love. If you have to ask what your house needs to properly house a dog, then you should not foster one.

[pam]

If you have to ask what your house needs to properly house a dog, then you should not foster one.

Not necessarily. Sometimes there are more stringent guidelines in place for fostering than there might be for someone who has their own animals. Same with fostering children. I never had any of the safety things in outlets etc...but that is sometimes a requirement of the state in which you might be fostering children.

[havejoy]

I just went to an ehow sight and apparently the foster program pays for medical most of the time. Sometimes they also pay for food.
We know how to take care of dogs. We have 3 of our own and have un-officially fostered in the past for our Vet.
I was just wondering what the official rules are, if anyone knows them.

[pam]

I don't know what the official rules are..but I would imagine one of them would be that your own dogs shots are up to date. Not only for their health and safety but the health and safety of the dogs you might foster.

[Bini]

You may be required to fill out a foster application form. It usually poses questions like: Do you rent or own? If you lease, are you allowed to foster animals? What is your work schedule? How many hours per day will the animal be crated? Do you have children in the household? Do you have your own pets? Are they spayed or neutered? Etc etc.


And you may have an inspector come out and check your residency for safety precautions too.