10 Top Reasons to Foster an Animal


Foster volunteers are made up of animal lovers who are aware of the devastating and growing problem of animal over population and the inhumane treatment of animals.

Foster homes are always urgently needed. Lives can't be saved without them.

Fostering an animal isn't a lifetime commitment, it's a commitment to saving a life!

All you need to provide is a place for the animal to go, and love. The rescue or shelter will supply the rest. And what you get back is immeasurable, unconditional love and joy from saving a life. An estimated 8 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters in the U.S. each year, and approximately 4 million or 11,000 each day are euthanized.

Craving some canine or feline company, but unsure about the long term responsibility or bills?

Considering a breed for a Companion Dog, Service Dog or Emotional Support Animal, but uncertain if it is the right fit for your lifestyle?

On a waiting list for a trained Service Dog and would like a little furry buddy for emotional support in the meantime?

Love cats but are afraid they wouldn't fit in with your family because you have dogs. Then fostering may be the answer. You will be giving this pet a chance to find a forever home as well!

Here Are The Top Ten Reasons To Foster an Animal


1. You increase that animal chance of being adopted. By fostering you are a link between the animal and potential homes. You can spread the word about what a good dog or cat he or she is, how they interact with people and other animals.

By living with you, he has the chance to learn behavior that will make him/her more appealing to other families. When you foster a dog, you have the ability to transform him/her to a dog someone would be honored to live with....Most dog and cat trainers for the movies and TV are adopted shelter dogs.

2. Your own pet will learn more social skills. Rescue groups provide immeasurable support and some even offer invaluable training.

3. It’s a good way to see if you are ready for an additional pet. It’s not always clear whether a second or third pet would fit in with your family. Sometimes an additional pet is a disaster. Other times it couldn’t be better. With fostering, you have a chance to see whether or not another pet is right for your family. Maybe providing temporary care is better for you.


4. You help the rescue or shelter learn about the animals personality. It’s hard to know much about a dog or cat when it’s is living in a shelter environment with 15 other dogs and cats. Placing animals in foster homes help rescues learn if the pet likes children, beg at the table, chase cats, bark when crated, know basic commands or have high or low energy. The possibilities of what a foster family will learn about an animals are unlimited.

5. You are saving an animals life. Many rescues are full to their limits and cannot take in more animals until additional foster homes open up. By fostering, the rescue can save money on her boarding fees and use it to save another homeless animal.


 6. Many animal shelters and rescue groups can’t function without foster homes.

7. You might end up with a new family member. Many foster families realize the animal they are fostering is a perfect fit for their family. This is a happy ending for both the animal and humans. If you don’t foster, then you will never know what you are missing. You might never meet that special pet that could add to your life.

8. The animal gets to live with your family rather than at a shelter. Animals get stressed from shelter conditions. Shelters are noisy with limited one-on-one interaction. The animals don’t get enough exercise, training or socialization. With time, many dogs/cats develop psychological issues as pent-up energy, frustration, aggression or boredom builds.

9. Any volunteering makes a person feel good. Fostering an animal is a way to give back to your community. If you love animals, there is nothing more rewarding than helping a homeless animal.

10. It’s a way to help if you don’t have enough money to donate. If you don’t have the money to donate to animal shelters and rescues, you can donate your time by fostering.

Fosters play a very important part of rescue. Rescue groups can only pull or accept an animal in need into their rescue if they have somewhere for them to stay while they are preparing and networking them for their forever home.

Fosters are usually short term as they try to place them into their forever homes as soon as possible.


You and your family can help a forgotten animal get back on its paws by becoming a foster care family! All shelters and rescue groups needs foster families to help care for puppies, kittens, moms with litters and special needs animals.

By caring for an animal in need, in the comfort of your own home, you can give forgotten pets a second chance. You'll be giving an animal a loving home environment until they go to their forever home...and you will have Saved a Life!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


Q. As a foster parent, is it hard to give them up? Sure. But it also gives you a sense of pride knowing that you have helped a wonderful animal find a home. A little pain at parting; a lot of pleasure in knowing you have made a difference! One more life is saved because of you!

Q. Who pays for the Vet? All vetting is handled by the rescue or shelter.

Q. Is it expensive to foster? Fostering is at no cost to you. Pets are already spayed/neutered, and have already received their shots. Dog and/or cat food can be provided upon request.

Q. Do I have a choice of what type of animal I want to foster? You tell them what type of animals you are wanting to foster. For example: large dogs, small dogs, cats, mamas with babies, pure breed cats and dogs, bunnies, no preference, etc.

Q. What is involved? Mainly your time and your love. You would bring one or more pets into your home to nurture while the Rescue Group look for its adoptive home.

As a prospective foster parent, you will be required to complete an application and be interviewed in person. If you have pets, you will be required to provide medical records for your current pets as proof that they are up to date on vaccines and are spayed or neutered.

Q. Can I contact other foster moms and dads? Yes. You can contact and interact with other fosters by clicking on Foster Mamas Facebook page.

Q. Is there anything else I can do other than fostering an animal? Yes. Shelters/Rescue Groups need all sorts of help, so they will be able to help even more animals.Volunteers can offer to walk dogs, bath dogs, handle dogs at our Sunday adoption events, transportation to and from places, donation drives, advertising support and much more!

Q. If the dog has a handicap like blindness or can't hear, can I still foster him? Yes, as long as you know how to treat his handicap. Obviously, it will be more difficult than a "normal" rescue dog at first, however, after learning how to handle your dog, along with some tips to follow (which will make it easier for you and your blind or even deaf dog) it will be so rewarding for you to have given this precious dog a chance to be loved, it won't matter about that little extra effort on your part.....you will have saved a life!

If you feel that fostering a pet may be for you, or want more information, check out the many Rescue Groups/Shelters by clicking below. They have applications online for you to fill out along with numbers to contact them.