Foster

Fosters can pick the duration of time they will care for an animal. We are in need of fosters for all different lengths of time. Ideally a foster can take care of a foster until they find their forever home. However, we understand that cannot always happen, so we are happy to have fosters for any length of time. There are situations where we only need a foster for a few days to a few weeks.

Most certainly! As you know your own animal's personality best, we take that into account when placing an animal in your care.

We ask that foster families have an area of the house where new animals can be separated as needed (a bedroom or other indoor living space), which is beneficial during introduction periods or should there be a medical or behavioral concern.

Should you have a resident dog, we ask to introduce your dog to the potential foster dog prior. If introducing a foster dog to a home with resident cats, we ask that it be done very cautiously with the dog on leash for an extended period of time, and always under supervision.

We do not require that resident animals and fosters be separated throughout the foster period but do take all steps to prevent any transmission of illnesses or personality conflicts and do require that resident animals be current on all vaccines.

It all depends on the dog and how long you are able to commit to being a foster. Typically, it takes about 10-14 days for a dog to settle into a foster home enough to give us the best picture of its disposition and personality. For that reason, it’s ideal to have a dog in foster care for 2 weeks before being put up for adoption. During this time, the dog will also be spayed or neutered and receive necessary medical care.

Some dogs that go into foster are immediately ready for adoption, for example, if they’re already altered, micochipped and medically and behaviorally sound. On average, a dog may be in foster care for up to two months before being adopted, but many factors affect this time frame, such as breed, disposition, temperament, training and medical needs.

Yes, we just need written authorization from your landlord stating that it’s okay for you to foster before taking in a foster.

Yes! The most important thing to consider is whether you feel you have the time to commit to fostering, especially if you lead a busy social life outside of work. If you feel you do, then we try to pull the most compatible type of foster for your lifestyle.

Puppies would not be ideal with the amount of training and attention necessary, but perhaps an easy-going adult dog that’s fine to relax while you’re away at work. Oftentimes, depending on the age of the animal, a companion animal for them is beneficial while you’re away, so fostering two easy-going animals may be the best fit.

We have many foster homes with children, and they’re a tremendous help in socializing the right animals. We do take into account specific factors, such as the kids’ familiarity with animals, their activity level, etc. as this helps us to best match a foster.

Depending upon the animal, they may have just undergone a tremendous amount of stress, and so placing them in a home with children would only exacerbate potential behavioral concerns. Others gravitate towards kids, so we give them what they love!

HTHH strives to provide all necessary supplies for fostering. Supplies such as food, treats, chew toys, leashes and collars can be requested as needed. If the item is necessary to fostering and we do not have it on hand, we can get approval for purchase by a HTHH board members. HTHH often has donated used supplies and is not always able to purchase new items.

Please check with your foster coordinator in the case of any needed supply item, allowing enough time for disbursement. Any items or supplies that the foster wishes to donate to the foster animal are tax-deductible and always appreciated!

It’s in the dogs’ best interest to stay on consistent food so as to avoid digestive upset. That being said, much of the food HTHH uses is donated, and therefore, doesn’t necessarily remain a consistent brand. We will do our best, however!

Unfortunately, these are the situations we try very hard to avoid as we don’t operate a shelter. We ask that fosters be fully committed to fostering for the length of time necessary for that animal to find its forever home or the commited time communicated with HTHH.

Understand that the dog has been under an extreme amount of stress recently and may not settle in as quickly or easily as you might like, but it is not the dog’s fault. Should a situation arise, we will obviously try to accommodate as best as possible, be it a respite foster or a boarding facility, but we cannot make a guarantee.

Should an emergency arise, such as the dog acting aggressively towards your resident dog, cat, or a family member, please enclose the dog in a comfortable room with food and water until you can contact your Foster Coordinator. Do not, under any circumstances, surrender the dog to a public shelter