Can I become a foster carer?
Becoming a Dog Foster Carer means you are providing invaluable support in caring for lost, abandoned and unwanted animals by preparing them for their new forever homes.
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Fostering dogs also gives a valuable opportunity for us to obtain feedback on how our dogs behave in a domestic environment so we can find the right family for them to be part of.
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All our foster carers need to be compassionate, empathetic and adaptable to the needs of the individual animals that come through their care, as they are all unique.
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You must be willing to provide all the basics of care, such as feeding, cleaning, exercising, grooming, training, playing and socialising, and be willing to follow our guidance and regulations on training and safety.
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All costs will be covered by APSA.
What type of dogs will I foster?
Our dogs require a foster home to help them learn to live in a home environment again. They may be nervous and not used to humans being kind to them. They may find walking on a lead difficult at first. Patience will be needed to teach the dogs to trust again.
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Our foster dogs are often medium to large sized so being comfortable with handling this size of dog is important.
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We will always ensure the dog is suitable for you and will discuss all the details of the dog with you first so you are fully informed.
What type of dogs will I foster?
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We are looking for low time alone for the foster dog. During the start of the fostering most foster dogs will not be able to be left at all, and their time alone will need to be built up very gradually.
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Due to the nature of the foster dogs we are looking for calm and quiet households.
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We are looking for carers that ideally have previous experience with dogs, preferably working with those who are more vulnerable.
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A private garden is also required. Many of our foster dogs will need a safe, secure space to follow their training programme.
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Willingness to follow our guidance- each dog will have a training programme that will need to be followed. This will ensure the best chance of their success.
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We would like people to commit to us on a long-term basis as the dogs that need fostering require a nice stable environment which requires commitment from the Dog Foster Carer. Each individual foster case will vary; they can range from two to three weeks up to a few months.
What do I need to do as a Dog Foster Carer?
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Care for all the dog's needs – feeding, walking, grooming, training, socialising
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Be willing to follow our guidance and regulations on training and handling
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Be happy to play a part in the rehoming process by providing photos, videos and regular updates via email
What support will a Dog Foster Carer receive?
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Regular contact with our Fostering team
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Veterinary and behavioural support provided throughout the foster period
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All supplies needed for your foster dog will be provided
Fostering is an incredibly rewarding experience and a chance to make a real difference to a dog. It is however different to rehoming.
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If you’re interested in owning a dog, check out our dogs that are up for adoption HERE