Fostering FAQs

How do I become a foster?

We recommend you read the article below, it will enhance your fostering experience

The 2 Week Shutdown – How to introduce a new foster dog to your home

Your fostering is a commitment to the animal and rescue. We do not know how long the animal will be in your care? There is no back-ups in the event you don’t want to foster anymore…… but if there are reasons that your foster dog can’t stay we ask for patience to find a suitable replacement foster home. If it’s urgent we will of course do our best to accommodate you.

Fill out this application to be considered for fostering.

Foster Application

What is the application process?

Fill out this application
I will contact you for further information and to arrange a home visit if I feel you are a good candidate

All applications will remain active for 6 months, then you must re-apply. Foster applications may be required for each individual dog that you want to foster.

What do foster families need to provide?

A healthy and safe environment for their foster dogs
Transportation to and from the adoption center and all vet appointments as needed
Socialization and cuddle time to help teach dogs positive family and pet relationships
Lots of exercise and positive stimulation to help them develop into great dogs

How much time do I need to spend with a foster dog?

As much time as you can. With that said, the amount of time will vary depending on the energy level and needs of the dog you are fostering. It is ideal to spend around two hours a day exercising and playing with your foster dog to ensure that he or she receives adequate socialization and stimulation.

Can I foster if I have children?

Since we don’t always know a foster dog’s history or tolerance level for different types of people and activities, please teach your children how to act responsibly and respectfully around your foster dog. We will do our best to place you with an appropriate animal for your home situation, but you should still supervise all interactions between children and your foster dog. Key things to remind your children:

Always leave the foster dog alone when he/she is eating, chewing or sleeping. Some dogs may nip or bite if bothered while eating or startled while sleeping.
Do not take away a toy or prized possession from the foster dog.
Do not tease the foster dog.
Don’t chase the foster dog around the house or run quickly around the foster dog; it may scare him.
Pick up all your toys. Some dogs may not be able to tell the difference between what is theirs and what belongs to the kids.
Do not allow young children to walk the foster dog because they may not be strong enough or experienced enough to handle encounters with other dogs or cats who cross their path.

Can I foster dogs even if I have a full-time job?

Yes. The foster application is designed as a survey to help the foster coordinator match you with the best animal for your needs and your current schedule. If you have a full-time job, the foster coordinator will match you with a dog who may be OK alone during the workday. You would then just need to provide ample exercise before or after you go to work.

Can I foster a dog if I don’t have a fenced yard?

Yes. Even if you do have a fenced yard, we request that you supervise all outdoor activities with the foster dog. And we ask that you always keep him or her on a leash when you’re on walks.

How long will the dog need to be in foster care?

Ideally, foster dogs stay in their assigned foster homes until they get adopted. We do not have a boarding location in Winnipeg to house animals overnight, so these dogs rely on foster homes as their home between homes. Generally, 3 weeks is a good time frame for getting all the vet work done and finding a new home. However, we have had some long-term fosters. YOU must be able to commit to 3 weeks min unless otherwise discussed.

Will I need to give medicine to my foster dog?

Most of the dogs that we have in our foster program are rescued from shelters and have been exposed to shelter illnesses. While we do our best to ensure that we are aware of all the conditions that a foster dog may have prior to going home, many illnesses have incubation periods, meaning symptoms can arise after you take a dog home. So while some dogs do not require any medicine, others may. If your foster dog needs medications, we can show you how to administer them before you take the animal home. We recommend a quarantine period based on each individual rescue. This is discussed when we put the dog in foster.

Can I let my foster dog play with my personal pets?

There are a few guidelines that we ask foster families to adhere to regarding their personal pets. While foster dogs playing with other pets is often fine, we advise that you consult with your veterinarian before fostering to ensure that all of your personal pets are healthy and up-to-date on all vaccines. Dogs in shelters are very susceptible to illness and can carry or catch different diseases. If for any reason, your personal pet becomes ill while you are fostering a WBR rescue, we cannot provide medical care for your personal pet.

What if I want to adopt my foster dog?

If you want to adopt a foster dog, you will need to complete an adoption application if you have not already done so. In most cases, fosters do have the first option of adoption. If you do decide to adopt your foster dog, please contact the foster coordinator right away because once the dog is up for adoption, we cannot hold him/her for anyone, including the foster parent.

What if my foster dog is not working out?

You are not required to continue to foster a dog if you feel it is not working out. However, we may not have an immediate alternate foster home for the dog. As mentioned above, we don’t have our own overnight boarding facility, so we rely on our fosters. We will work on moving your foster dog out as soon as possible but ask for your understanding and patience. Please call right away so we can find another foster.

Dog introductions

If you have personal pets who are dogs, you’ll want to introduce them to your foster dog one at a time and supervise their interactions at first. It’s a good idea to introduce them outside in a large yard or on a walk, keeping all the dogs on leash and allowing them enough space to get adjusted to one another. If you can, it works best to schedule a time for your personal dogs to meet the foster dog before you take the foster dog home.

In addition, make sure that high-value items (food, chew toys, plush toys, Kongs, rawhides or anything else that your dogs hold in high regard) are put away whenever the dogs are interacting. You don’t want to allow the possibility of a fight. Those high-value items are best placed in the dogs’ personal areas. Finally, never feed your dogs in the same room as the foster dog; always separate them at feeding time.

Cat introductions

We can’t ensure that a foster dog has been “cat-tested,” so if you have personal pets who are cats, you’ll need to make the introduction to the foster dog carefully and safely. Start by keeping them separated at first. You can either keep your cats in a separate room (equipped with food, water, litter boxes and beds) or confine your foster dog to a room. Over a one- to two-week period, let the dog and cats smell each other through the door, but don’t allow them to have contact with one another. Exchanging blankets or towels between the dog’s area and the cats’ area will help them get used to each other’s smells.

After a week or two, do the face-to-face introduction. Keeping your foster dog on a leash, allow your cat out in the same area. (If you have more than one cat, introduce one cat at a time.) Do not allow the foster dog to charge or run directly up to the cat. Try to distract the dog as best you can so that the cat has the chance to approach without fear. Watch the body language of each animal closely and don’t continue the interaction if either pet becomes over-stimulated or aggressive. The idea is to keep the interactions positive, safe and controlled.

Finally, never leave your foster dog unsupervised with any cats in your home.

Some good reading prior to fostering….