Foster a Dog – Save a Life

Every foster is slightly different, but the process generally goes like this.

1. Follow up after two weeks, to make sure the trial was successful, and the adoption confirmed.
2. Nominating yourself to take on a specific dog (one that suits your availability and family needs).
3. Collecting or receiving the foster dog. 
4. Bathing the dog – they mostly arrive pretty grotty!
5. Providing nutritious food and a comfortable place for them to sleep.
6. Providing love and cuddles in the first few days when the dog is most vulnerable.
7. Administering the worming and flea treatments provided.
8. Taking the dog to vet appointments and administering any medications (fully paid for by Labrador Rescue).
9. Observing the dog’s behaviours and where necessary providing light training.
10. Helping the dog achieve peak mental and physical health (through lots of love, regular walks, light training and diet management).
11. Recording their health information. 
12. When ready, writing a bio for the dog’s adoption profile.
13. Reviewing 5-10 ‘perfect match’ applications and making a short list.
14. Organising a meet and greet with your preferred applicant.
15. Collecting and forwarding adoption forms.

We’ve been doing this a long time. We have a highly organised network of volunteers responsible for ensuring the best outcomes for foster dogs, their foster carers and the adoptive family. We carefully screen both carers and adopters and sometimes an application may be rejected.  This doesn’t mean we don’t think you’d be a brilliant foster carer. It’s simply that after decades of understanding the core needs of foster dogs, we have a strict list of ‘must-haves’ for carers. 

All dogs in need of a foster carer are shared in our private foster group chat (you will need a Facebook account). We will provide as much information as we can about the dog’s nature, tolerance for cats, experience with children etc. We will also disclose any known medical issues. If the dog sounds like a good fit and you have time available, simply put up your hand.  

We generally ask each foster dog carer to take on 2-4 dogs per year.  You choose the time and the dog.

Our community of over 100 foster carers has your back.  If the foster dog doesn’t settle well with your existing pets, or your family, one of our other foster carers will take the dog.

Upon joining, you’ll be invited to a group of “Lab lovers.” The group includes more than a hundred foster carers just like you, in addition to training experts, vet nurses and advanced foster carers. No matter what you’re experiencing, one of us, or many of us, have experienced it before. You always have a dedicated community to call on for advice.

It depends on the needs of the specific dog.  For newbie foster dog carers, we recommend you choose a relatively healthy, middle-aged dog that’s been raised in a loving home. These are generally the easiest dogs to foster and then rehome – and the whole process can take as little as two weeks.

The costs of fostering are minimal. We pay for everything except:

• Food. We recommend high quality supermarket kibble.
• Bedding. You will provide the dog with a comfortable place to sleep.
• Toys. A single ball can provide your foster dog with hours of joy….
• Petrol. You will be required to drive your foster dog to an approved vet clinic near you. All vet care and medication is covered by Labrador Rescue. 

Labrador Rescue depends heavily on the commitment and dedication of our foster carers. That’s why we offer support wherever we can while you have a dog. 

Foster caring does involve some paperwork duties from the carers. You’ll need access to a computer, a scanner, and preferably a Facebook profile. We ask that you send any paperwork for your foster dog in a timely manner. It is a legislative requirement that Labrador Rescue maintains an up-to-date data base of all our dogs in care so this is an important part of your role. 

You will need to attend vet appointments, provide an honest profile, and a beautiful photo of your foster dog.  You will then be involved in selecting their extra special forever home. 

Look, we all have foster fails! It’s okay to fail. However, letting go of a foster dog becomes easier over time. You’ll learn that not all foster dogs are a perfect fit for your family.  You’ll know when a dog would be happier in a particular type of home – with more kids/fewer kids/another dog/more active lifestyle/ nearer to the water, etc.  

We all love every dog we foster. But seeing them happy in the perfect new home is such a joy, that it softens the blow of seeing them go.

Lately, most foster dogs are coming from families facing hardship due to the rental crisis.  These dogs, while experiencing stress and heartbreak, are generally ‘easier’ dogs. 

For dogs from abusive backgrounds, or with complex health issues, we prefer to place them with our more experienced foster carers. Our newbie foster carers are a vital part of our community as they ensure our more advanced foster carers are free to care for the most traumatised dogs.