PetStar Australia is proud to announce a Workshop for New Foster Carers. Fostering an animal is a deeply rewarding journey that changes a pet's life. Welcoming a new animal into your home requires balancing patience with a structured environment so they can feel safe enough to reveal their true personality.
Workshop for New Foster Carers will be delivered in Western Sydney, NSW. We will expand access in other suburbs during 2027.
To help you manage different temperaments and ensure a positive experience, keep these essential strategies in mind:
- Create a Dedicated Safe Space: Set up a quiet, enclosed area (like a spare bedroom, a laundry room, or a crate) just for your foster pet. This gives them a secure zone to decompress without feeling overwhelmed by the entire house.
- Practice the 3-3-3 Rule: Remember that a foster animal generally needs 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to learn your routine, and 3 months to fully feel secure and let their true personality shine.
- Establish a Predictable Routine: Feed, walk, and interact with them at the same times every day. Predictability lowers stress and builds trust quickly, especially for anxious or fearful animals.
- Let Them Initiate Contact: Avoid forcing affection. Let the animal approach you at their own pace, using high-value treats to create positive associations with your presence.
- Observe and Take Notes: Observe and take notes on the cat's or dog's behaviour. Document their triggers, such as loud noises, sudden movements, or resource guarding. Record their successes, including how well they meet other dogs and people, receive treats, or sleep in their crate at night.
- The rescue group uses this invaluable data to create a "Pet Profile" when the dog is adoption-ready, which helps them find the perfect forever match.
Are you thinking about opening your heart and home to an animal in need? Join our NEW Foster Caring Workshop to gain the essential knowledge, skills, and confidence you need before applying to a rescue team.
We host our Dog Workshops and Cat Workshops separately to give you specialised, hands-on training for your species of choice.
Topics include:
Legal issues, responsibilities, a Journey Outline, Do's & Don'ts, Pet Care and Post Operative Care, plus demonstrations for managing dog and cat behaviour. Dog & Cat Workshops will be run separately.
New Foster Carer's Workshop
To complete your prelearning, please create an account on Maddie's University. You will not be asked for a credit card, as it's FREE to access their self-paced online training.
Login or Register - Maddie's Pet Forum
To register your interest to become a foster carer and to LATER be matched with a pet, please complete the form below.
Foster Carer - Expression of Interest
Fostering requires many skills, experience, and methods to manage different behaviours. Foster carers must follow guidelines derived from the Animal Companion Act 1998 and Amendments. Additionally, each rescue provides its own Guidelines to Fostering clarifying roles and responsibilities.
Click the link below to understand NSW pet registration laws and regulations. To read about all other states and territories, visit Identification Rules and Legislation for Pet Listings.
Click the link below to understand NSW pet registration laws and regulations. To read about all other states and territories, visit Identification Rules and Legislation for Pet Listings