The Role of the Foster Carer
Published on Oct 08, 2024 by Displaced Dog Rescue D Hallett
GOAL: Foster Carers provide TEMPORARY care of pets that are owned by an Animal Rescue, until they are placed in a new home.
AIM: The aim of the rescue is to take pets into care, provide essential vet work, a safe caring temporary home, and to advertise to find a new home and carry out the adoption process with the new potential owner.
VOLUNTEER: all roles within an animal rescue are on a volunteer basis. If you can't Foster, there are many other roles needing to be fulfilled: transport of pets, collect/delivery of food, administration, fundraising, auctions, events and social media.
Foster Carers Role:
- Ensure the pet is well cared for
- Socialise your foster pet with dogs, cats, kids and people in many different environments.
- Provide basic training, and
- Company at home.
Are you ready?
Don’t foster if you are sick, about to go on a holiday, going through many changes, e.g. moving house, changing job, having a baby, going to hospital etc.
Preparing your Home:
Is your yard or home escape proof? Is the animal safe, and have access to clean water and food? Is there shade or shelter when it’s hot and/or raining? Have all dangerous objects been removed from your yard and house?
Transporting your Foster Animal to your Home & Events:
All pets must be secured inside the vehicle during transport. Use a Carrier or Crate, or a seatbelt extension through their harness to secure or similar. Do not leave your foster pet/s unattended inside a vehicle for any length of time. NEVER leave you foster pet tethered to a pole or similar outside shops or at parks/events etc.
Helping the Rescue find your foster animal a home:
Taking good photos is essential. The photo of your foster pet is the first introduction to the animal, so their personality needs to be captured in the photos you take and submit to your coordinator. Ensure you have photos of the face/head and full body. Videos are a great resource, so try to take short videos of your foster pet, this will help find a new owner.
Writing a Pet Profile:
Start a Pet Profile from Day 1 of your fostering journey with every new pet, e.g. date arrived, microchip number, vet work to be booked, date of scheduled vet visit, pet's name, weight, dates of vaccinations, desexing and parasite treatments. Describe the pet’s personality, dislikes, likes, sleeping and food habits. Start writing a profile within a week and provide your coordinator with a basic profile that can go with the animal’s adoption photo/s. Take short videos of your foster pet, this helps to animate them and attracts greater views. Tip: use bullet points so it's easier to read.
Meets & Greet with potential new owner and documentation:
Meet and greet arrangements are done in the Foster Carer's home (unless other arrangements are made with the rescue's Coordinator). The Adoption fee, Change of Ownership, any Adoption Contracts and/or Desexing Contracts etc are managed by the Rescue. A meet and greet is only arranged, after an application is received and an initial phone interview between the Rescue Coordinator and the potential new owner, then the potential new owner is invited to a meet and greet at the Foster's home, at a mutually convenient time.