You Can Help - Foster a Shelter Animal

Foster Parents Save Lives!

Each year our foster parents save the lives of hundreds of animals by giving them a second chance.

Our foster program was designed to move animals into the community as a way of providing more time for the animal to get adopted into a permanent home. While most animals are adopted out of the kennels, others need extra attention to get adopted. That is where the foster program comes in.

Our foster parent program is made up of community volunteers who take animals into their homes, give them care and help them find their "forever homes." The shelter provides food, blankets, towels, crates and medical care for the animals. The only expense to the foster family is their time and love.


Becoming a Foster Parent

The first step is to fill out a Foster Care Application and bring or mail it to the shelter. The next step is to attend a Foster Orientation Class. Visit our Events Calendar to see when classes are being offered.

Qualifications

Cat/Kitten fosters are always in demand.  In order to foster cats, you must be able to separate them from your own animals for several days, until they are more secure with their surroundings.  Mothers and kittens must always have separate living quarters to give momma cat a secure place to take care of her young.  Most foster parents use a spare bathroom or utility area for the family.  Cats must stay indoors at all times, where it is safe and secure until they are adopted.

Dog fosters require you to have a fenced yard, adequate for the size dog you want to foster. And you need to be able to offer a place in the house to the foster dog. All your own pets need to be spayed or neutered and up-to-date on their shots. And you must be 21 years of age or older. We don’t often have a need for foster homes for small dogs. They tend to get adopted so quickly from the shelter that we never have an issue with a small dog running out of time.

Our Foster Parents Are Asked To...

Give your foster animal lots of attention and affection. The animal may have lived a difficult life before coming to your home. Your love and attention will help heal the animal's psychological wounds.

Learn as much as you can about pet care. Before you bring your foster animal home, learn as much as you can about caring for that particular type of animal. Read about feeding, grooming, and training. Read our guidelines carefully. Study warning signs that may indicate the animal needs veterinary attention.

Be prepared to make a financial commitment. Before volunteering to foster an animal, find out what costs you will incur. Although we try to provide food and other equipment for Special Needs animals, you may be asked to pay for food and supplies. Veterinary care at the shelter clinic is provided free of charge to foster animals. However, foster parents must make an appointment by calling the clinic at 342-3599.

Make your home pet friendly. Before you bring your foster animal home, make sure you "pet proof" your home. For example, remove poisonous plants and protect furnishings. Keep the animal's room warm and comfortable. Also, take steps to prevent the animal from escaping.

Keep your pets up to date on their vaccinations. All animals should be current on vaccinations that protect them from diseases. Before you bring home a foster animal, consult your veterinarian to make sure your own animals have received the preventive treatment they need to keep them safe.

Keep foster animals away from your own pets, at least initially. A foster pet may come into your home harboring contagious diseases. Even though your pets are vaccinated against many diseases, it's a good idea to keep the foster animal away from your pets for at least a week as an added precaution.

Recognize your limits. Fostering requires a great deal of time and energy - both emotional and physical. Don't overextend yourself by fostering animals too frequently or you may burn yourself out.

Return the animal to the Shelter on time. The Shelter depends on you to make its program work. If you have a Special Needs animal that must be returned to the shelter, be sure to return the animal to the Shelter at the scheduled time. If you decide to adopt an animal you foster, you must go through the Shelter's normal adoption process. If a friend or relative wants to adopt the animal you are fostering, that person must go through the Shelter's adoption process also.

Understand that some foster animals will not survive. Many animals who arrive at the Shelter come from unknown backgrounds. Despite your best efforts, the animal you foster may develop a severe illness that cannot be treated. Do the best you can to help the animal, but accept the fact that you cannot save them all.

Understand the requirements to become a foster parent.

  • Have the support of all individuals living in your home.
  • Have the consent of your landlord.
  • Read the Guidelines and attend the foster parent orientation.
  • Complete the Foster Care Application.
  • Have your own pets current on all their vaccinations.
  • Understand that the Idaho Humane Society is not responsible for any damage or injury done by a foster animal in your care.
  • Understand that all animals remain the property of the Idaho Humane Society.

Enjoy being a foster parent. Although fostering takes a great deal of time and commitment, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Special Needs

The Special Needs foster program allows special needs animals to be sheltered in an individual's home rather than the animal shelter. The goal of the Special Needs program is to rehabilitate as many animals as the shelter can reasonably handle and ultimately place. Animals with special needs include mothers with litters, injured animals, and animals with treatable illnesses.

SAVE

The SAVE program allows a healthy animal scheduled to be euthanized a little extra time. The animal will be released to the foster parent who will have two months to find the animal a new home.

Need More Information?

For more information on the Foster Program, please contact the Foster Coordinators at 342-3508 ext. 2228. To sign up for the volunteer training, please contact Jamie Olson, Volunteer Coordinator, at 331-8553.

We would love to have you join the hundreds of people experiencing the rewards of caring for homeless animals in our community.