Foster homes let your organization care for more animals without adding kennel space. They also give animals a calmer place to recover and let you learn how each one behaves in a home. That information can help with future adoptions.
A foster program needs some structure to run well. This guide walks through what to prepare, how to find people, and how to support them once an animal is in their care. For a more detailed reference, Best Friends Animal Society publishes a free Foster Programs Training Playbook.
Step 1: Put your policies in writing
Before you begin recruiting, decide how the program will work. Fosters will want answers to these questions:
- How long does a typical placement last?
- Who pays for food, supplies, and veterinary care?
- Which vets can they use, and who approves treatment?
- Who should they call during an emergency, including at night?
- Can they meet with potential adopters?
- What should they do if a placement isn't working?
Put your answers in a short handbook and a foster agreement. Have the agreement reviewed by someone familiar with the laws in your state. It's also helpful to name one coordinator as the main contact for all your fosters.
Step 2: Create a foster application
The application should tell you whether someone has a safe space, and which animals might suit them. Ask about:
- Home type, and whether there's a fenced yard or stairs
- Who lives there, including children and other pets
- Vaccination status of any pets in the home
- Types of animals they'd consider, such as kittens, seniors, or medical cases
- How long they're able to foster
- Experience giving medications
- Whether they can drive to appointments
Our guide to form questions for adopters, fosters, and volunteers has more detail. In PawPlacer, you can publish a foster form on your website, then review and approve applications from the foster's record.
Step 3: Recruit from people who already know you
Your current supporters and past adopters are often the best place to start. Reach out with a specific request, such as "We need homes that can take kittens for four to six weeks this spring." A specific request makes it easier for someone to picture what they'd be doing.
Share the need on social media and in your newsletter, and put flyers in vet offices, groomers, and pet stores. Current fosters can talk about their experience too, and many new fosters come from personal recommendations. Plan ahead for busy periods, particularly kitten season.
Step 4: Screen for fit
Fostering is temporary, so screening can be simpler than for adoption. You mainly need to know that the home is safe, that any pets there are healthy, that the person understands the time involved, and that they're comfortable with the animal you have in mind.
First-time fosters can do very well when they start with an easier placement and have someone to call. If you can, pair them with an experienced foster who can answer everyday questions.
Step 5: Match each animal to the right home
Compare what the animal needs with what the home offers. A shy cat may struggle in a busy house with young children and dogs. A dog recovering from surgery needs someone comfortable following medical instructions.
Keep notes on each foster's experience, preferences, and household, as well as how previous placements went. PawPlacer lets you tag fosters by experience, filter the list by those tags, and see how much space each person has. Each profile shows capacity, such as "2 of 3 spots filled."
Step 6: Support your fosters
Check in soon after each placement, ideally within a day or two, and then at regular intervals. A short message asking how things are going can bring up small problems before they grow.
Tell fosters what you need to hear about immediately, such as an animal who stops eating, and who to contact when it happens. Be clear about what your organization will pay for, and make supplies easy to pick up. Let fosters know when an animal they cared for finds a home, and thank them.
Step 7: Keep records with the animal
Medical details and behavior notes should stay with the animal's record, so nothing is lost if the animal moves to another home. Plan how fosters will share updates and vet paperwork with your coordinator. Our post on organizing foster records explains how to set this up.
What if a foster wants to adopt?
Sometimes a foster decides to keep the animal in their care. That can be a great outcome, since they already know each other well. It may also take a foster home out of your network for a while, so keep recruiting and try to have a few more approved homes than you currently need.
