How much will it cost me to be a foster home?
Rover Rescue pays for:
- All veterinarian costs
- Dog food
- Leashes & collars
- Crates
- Toys, shampoo, treats, dog beds, baby gates and other donated items
Your costs are:
- Time
- Gasoline driving your foster dog to and from vet appointments and picking them up from transports
What are my responsibilities as a foster home?
The most important responsibility in fostering is to provide a safe, loving environment for your foster dog and to commit to doing so until a responsible, stable, loving adoptive home is found for him/her.
Additionally, you will be required to pick your dog up when the transport comes in, typically early Saturday afternoons. You will be responsible for transporting your dog to and from the vet for medical treatment prior to adoption. You will provide Rover Rescue with updated digital photographs and will write a descriptive bio for your foster dog to be posted on the website within the first week of having the dog. Rover Rescue participates in many adoption events throughout the year. There are a variety of other activities such as summertime festivals that offer opportunities for your foster dog to get exposure. Although these activities are not required, participation is highly recommended. You will be responsible for screening callers inquiring about adopting your foster dog, and subsequently setting up an appointment for qualified parties to come to your home to meet the dog. You will complete the required paperwork for the adoption and will be responsible for turning paperwork and adoption fees into Rover Rescue within a week after the adoption.
What can I expect from my foster dog?
While some dogs may be nervous from the anxiety of the transport and/or the upheaval they’ve experienced thus far in their lives, most are extremely happy to finally be in a loving home. It is important to understand that many of these dogs were abandoned or found as strays and may have never lived inside a home. As a result, housetraining your foster dog, even an older one, may be necessary. Your foster dog may also display destructive tendencies inside the home and will need patient, loving guidance to discourage these behaviors. Rover Rescue does have crates that can be used by any foster home to help contain the foster dog when supervision isn’t available. The pleasure derived from knowing you are saving a life, watching your foster dog blossom under your care, and placing that dog in a forever home cannot be matched.
When will I get my first foster dog?
Rover Rescue typically schedules transports every other weekend from very high-kill animal shelters. As soon as your foster home application has been approved (within a couple of days), you can request a dog on the next transport.
How long do I typically have the foster dog?
This can vary. Puppies typically go very quickly and may find their adoptive homes within the first week. Very large breed dogs/pups usually get adopted quickly also. It really depends on who looks at the website and when they look at it. In some cases, several weeks may go by before your dog is adopted.
What if I go on vacation? Where does the foster dog go?
This is a great feature about fostering. If you have to go out of town, your foster dog will be put into another foster home or boarded at one of our participating vets at Rover Rescue’s cost.
What happens if a dog isn’t working out in my home?
We ask that you give the dog at least 72 hours in your home to get somewhat used to the household routine. We usually have no history on a foster dog, so we don’t know what he has experienced in his past. Maybe he was an outside dog or never had obedience training. If after 72 hours there are still problems, the dog will be transferred to another foster home or dogs will be traded among foster homes.
How many dogs do I have to foster?
It is totally up to you. Depending on what town you live in, you can foster up to four dogs at a time. But, even if you foster just one at a time, this is still wonderful! You can foster every week, once a month, or even just once in a while. Every dog you save counts!
If a foster dog damages something in my home, who pays replacement costs?
If your foster dogs tears up a pillow, chews up your favorite pair of shoes, scratches up your woodwork, etc., then you are responsible for the replacement costs; the bottom line is that you should have been supervising the dog. If there are times when you can’t supervise the dog, the dog should be in a crate.
I would like to provide a foster home. What do I do now?
If you are interested in fostering, please complete the foster home application and someone will be in touch with you within 24 hours. Still have questions? Please call 630-897-7454 and someone will be happy to answer any other questions you may have.