GET INVOLVED
BECOME A FOSTER CARER TODAY
Open your heart and home and save a life!
Homeless dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, birds and other small creatures arrive in pounds and shelters every day. Sometimes even farm animals! To get the second chance they deserve, each of these animals desperately needs a foster carer.
By placing our animals in foster homes, we get to know them thoroughly: we learn what they are like with other creatures, with children, the elderly, the training they may need and the sort of home they are best suited to.
Could this be you?
Foster carers look after a carefully matched animal in their home temporarily while we all work together to find them a forever home. This can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months.
Should you get attached to your foster friend and want to adopt them, that’s okay! Fostering is a great way to test whether animal ownership is for you, and adopting your foster friend is certainly an option. You may very well join the growing ‘Foster Fail’ Club!
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
SUPPORT
24/7 guidance and support from our amazing volunteer community, plus a comprehensive Foster Carer Handbook.
SUPPLIES
Vet-related expenses will be covered by Forever Friends, and donated food, bedding etc, are also available to you where possible.
GOOD VIBES
Unconditional love from your foster animal and bragging rights that you are saving a life!
REQUIREMENTS FOR FOSTERING
SECURITY
A clean, safe and secure home where your foster animal will sleep inside and receive lots of love.
EXERCISE
Regular exercise for foster dogs. Interaction and stimulation with toys, games and basic training.
FOOD
A good quality diet is important for foster animals. (Food donations are often available, but not always).
TRANSPORT
Occasional transporting: collection from pound, to/from vet appointments (but volunteers available to help if required).
PROFILE
Providing quality photos of your foster animal and the writing of a biography for their adoption profile (assistance available if required).
MEET & GREETS
Reviewing adoption applications and conducting meets and greets with potential adopters.
OUR FOSTER PROCESS
APPLICATION
Our Foster Carer Application asks you a few questions about yourself, your home and your fostering preferences to match you with the ideal foster animal. It also includes our Foster Carer Agreement, which you must sign.
Note: If you are under 18 (and have a heart of gold) you must have permission from your parent or guardian. All members of the household need to be on board with having a foster animal.
REVIEW
Your completed application will be reviewed by our Foster Carer Coordinator and if successful, a property check will be arranged by one of our volunteers.
This visit is to ensure the safety of your foster animal, and should in no way be seen as a potential critique of your home. It’s also a great opportunity for us to meet you in person and vice versa!
WELCOME
After the property check, you will be warmly welcomed into our volunteer community. You will receive our Foster Carer Handbook and be added to our Facebook Volunteer Page. (if you use Facebook)
Our Coordinators will contact you when a potential foster animal match is found and assign you a Volunteer Case Manager who will provide support and guidance. You are also welcome to put your hand up for any animals that are promoted within the group.
FOSTERING
During the first fortnight we ask you to get to know your foster animal, test them safely with other animals, children, see what are they like on-lead, etc.
Then we ask you to complete a biography on your foster pet and to take quality photos – these will be used to create an adoption profile to help your foster find their forever home. This can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months.
VET WORK & SUPPORT
Once in our care, all our rescue animals are desexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and flea-treated.
We will cover all vet expenses as long as you liaise with us first and use our partner vet clinics and can provide various pet paraphernalia if you need it: e.g. bedding, toys.
FOREVER HOME
With the help of your Case Manager, you will oversee the adoption process of your foster friend. This includes reviewing adoption applications and conducting meets and greets with potential adopters.
Should you find that you cannot part with your foster animal, you will have the opportunity to adopt them yourself (i.e.‘Foster Fail’)!