Foster familes...need advice

[champagne]

Hi. We are starting to recruit families in our area to foster dogs for the shelter which involves some of the dogs at the local city pound. We have stray dogs that owners do not come for as well as owner released dogs.

How does the foster care system that you are involved with operate? We already have contracts and guidelines that they have to follow. We dont have any evaluations on the city dogs except what is observed by the AC officer. Also does the organization you foster with have a holding period for their dogs before they are fostered out? Technically we can foster or adopt out a city stray in 5 days. Owner released dogs immmediatly. All dogs are speutered,vaccinated and dewormed.

Do you foster outside only or do you allow them to be in the house with you and your dogs? If they do come in what is the best approach for this?

Any input would be appreciated

 

[MomOf7]

I have never fostered officially for an organization. I get calls from someone who knows someone who dont want thier dog ect ect...I take a good month and get the dog up to par...What I mean is I evaluate the dog on site before I take it.
Socialize the dog with my kids first. Have a titer test done to see what shots it needs. Get its immunizations spay/neuter..Socialize with my easiest going dogs then with my more dominate ones.
I crate them and train them to potty outside. I work on leash obedience, house manners, barking ect...Then I find a suitable home for them.
Yes I am a gluten for punishment. I do however enjoy seeing a totally wild untrained dog change and get a home where its loved and taken care of. I also do follow up visits to make sure its working out.

Thats what I do..I dont know what the norm is but this is what I believe is right.

 

[sweetbassets]

Fosters are suppose to be treated like your own dogs so they can get and/or stay use to a normal family life. That is just one good and important part of foster families, they are part of a family and not in a cage or away from other animals. The foster families are responsible for food, water, shelter, and the attention the dog needs. Vet services are usually paid for by the rescue organization. Usually the rescue orgaizations will want to meet you with your dogs somewhere besides your home such as down the street, at a park , or any other neutral terrritory to avoid any territorial issues. Then after they meet, sniff, walk/play with, and get to now each other, they will be walked back together to the foster families home so your dog will feel like he has a guest instead of an intruder. I don't know if all rescue organizations do it the same, but this is how it is done with the rescue I volunteer with. I hope this helps.

Oh sorry I almost forgot one more thing. About being evaluated before they go to foster families usually they will go through some test for aggression issues with food, toys, different body parts being messed with (ears, mouth, legs, paws, ect...). Some issues are not found until they are in their foster home. Depending on what the issue is and if the foster family is willing to work with the dog on that issue, the dog can either stay with that foster family or will need to be moved to a foster family that is willing to work with and help the dog. So if possible it can hopefully overcome that issue and find its forever home.