Foster

Foster with Rural Dog Rescue

Full Time Fosters meet our intake team and their foster dog on transport day or coordinate care from another foster, and provide a home for their foster dog until they are placed in their forever home. This can range from a few short days or take several weeks. Our full time fosters typically commit to their foster dog until they find their forever home.
Short term fosters step in when a full-time foster needs coverage for a few days to a week. Typically our need for short-term fosters is over the weekend (Friday night - Sunday night).
Occasionally we have the need for fosters for puppies or pregnant mothers who need a home to have their babies. Puppies on their own are usually 10-16 weeks and will need a foster that can limit their interactions with other dogs until they are fully vaccinated. Puppy fosters must be willing to coordinate with RDR on shots and potential vet visits while in your care (all costs covered).

Complete and submit an online foster application.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at foster@ruraldogrescue.com.

You will receive an email from one of our application processors to set up a phone interview.
These typically take between 15-30 minutes and are a chance for us to learn more about what you are looking for in a dog.
If applicable, our volunteer will also conduct a landlord reference (if you rent), a vet reference check (if you have owned a pet in the last five years), and a background check.

After the phone interview, you will conduct a home visit (virtually or in-person) with one of our volunteers.
This allows us to make sure your home is a safe place for our dogs to live, as well as the opportunity to figure out which of our dogs will fit will in your home. All members of the family should be present during the home visit.

After the phone interview and home visit are complete, you will be approved to foster one of our dogs.
From there, the foster coordinator will work with you to place a dog in your home.
You can be an overnight, a weekend/holiday, or a full-time foster!

Food and water, exercise, positive reinforcement, and plenty of love.
Bring your dog to adoption events when the foster coordinator requests your attendance
Complete our personality form for your dog on a regular basis so that we can update their profile for prospective adopters to see
Provide photos for our social media team to promote your dog and participate in social media takeover on the RDR instagram account with your foster dog
Work on basic training to help prepare them for their forever home