Fostering


Thank you for your interest in fostering!  Our ability to save lives is directly tied to the number of active foster homes we have, so we really do appreciate your willingness to open your home to a lost soul.

Foster homes care for dogs between the time they come into rescue and are adopted out into loving forever homes.  This may mean that you’re fostering a dog for a few weeks, or much longer depending on how long it takes to find the best possible home for them.

Your job is to help the rescue evaluate temperaments (very important) by providing regular information on the dog, make recommendations on a suitable home environment, give the dog attention and training if possible, and make the dog a part of your family for as long as they are in your care.  Once a possible adopter is found, the foster is also responsible for answering any questions an adopter may have (after all, your know your foster dog better then anyone!) and coordinating an opportunity for the potential adopters to meet with your foster dog.

Except in unusual circumstances, the rescue will provide all of the basics that you will need :  a crate, food, leash, collar, and sometimes other goodies.  This is possible mainly through donations to the Rescue.  Catahoula Rescue Ontario covers all approved vet care costs associated with your foster dog.

Still interested?  Here are some addition details on fostering for Catahoula Resue Ontario:

Kids & Dogs: If you have children, common sense says never let a strange dog be alone with kids under any circumstances, and your children need to be taught how to act with strange dogs. Sometimes, owners dumping dogs do not tell the truth, and the dog may not be accustomed to kids. We will not place any dogs with known aggression or fear issues with you if you have kids, but again, people are NOT always truthful. If you need help in teaching your children the right way to behave around strange dogs, discuss it with us. We are more than happy to help teach your children this very important facet of a foster home, because they will play a part in evaluating temperaments for rescue.

Cats & Dogs:  We do our best to “cat test” dog before we place them in foster homes with cats, but this is often done at the shelter and not always with 100% accuracy.  Generally speaking, the same rules in the “Kids & Dogs” section above can apply to Cats & Dogs too.  If any problems arise, we either do our best to resolve the problem or if need be move the foster dog into a more appropriate home.

What To Do If You Have A Problem: Call us! If you’re having issues with a rescue dog, Call Us! This is part of your evaluation of a rescue dog. We need to know these details so that we can help you manage the dog properly, and so that we can place the dog in an appropriate home.  If things are really not going well for any reason, you are never required to foster a particular dog – but we hope we can find a solution!

What You Need To Foster A Rescue Dog:  Fosters have a big heart, a willingness to work with abandoned animals, and a desire to help get them into permanent loving homes. Please note that all members of a household MUST be on board with fostering dogs, and if you rent, you will need permission from your landlord.

If you still think you wish to do this, we deeply appreciate your concern for forgotten dogs and the degree of dedication involved with being a foster care home.  We’re a relatively small community of foster homes, and we always love to see our foster family expanding!

If you're interested in fostering for us, please complete our Foster Application Form and return it to us by email.  Please send us an email at catahoulaontario@gmail.com if you have any trouble accessing the Foster Application Form or have any other questions.