Foothill Dog Rescue

Of the Sierra's

Frequently Asked Questions

  • 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 dogs even if I have a full-time job?

    • 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?

    • 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 to house animals overnight, so these dogs rely on foster homes as their home between homes.
    • Dogs usually go up for adoption after 10 days (see Adoption Events section)

  • How often does my foster dog need to go to the FDR Adoption Center?

    • Saturdays 11am-1pm (see Adoption Events section)
    • If a dog doesn’t do well at adoption events, the Foster Coordinator will advise you.

  • Will I need to give medicine to my foster dog?

    • Almost all of the dogs that we have in our foster program are rescued from shelters and have been exposed to shelter illnesses. 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.

  • 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 an FDR dog, 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 and follow the full adoption process. 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 a friend or family member wants to adopt my foster dog?

    • They will need to attend the first adoption event the dog is at, and go through normal adoption process (e.g. fill out application, meet and greet with resident dog, etc.)

  • Who will take care of my foster dog if I need to go out of town?

    • If you have travel plans while you are fostering, you will need to contact the foster coordinator. Please provide at least one week’s notice to ensure that we can find a respite foster for your dog. If your trip is over a holiday, please provide a minimum of two weeks’ notice.
    • You cannot leave your foster dog with an unauthorized person or pet sitter. We have specific training for foster parents, and pet sitters have not undergone that training or signed the release waivers for the foster program.

  • What if my foster dog bites me?

    • If any of your foster pets bite you and break skin, causing you to bleed, you need to report the bite to the foster coordinator within 24 hours of when the bite occurred. The law requires that we report all bites. The teeth of the animal, not the nails, must have broken the skin. If you are unsure, then please report the bite anyway.

  • What if my foster dog is not working out?

    • You are not required to continue to foster a dog if you feel it’s 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. We will work on moving your foster dog out as soon as possible, but ask for your understanding and patience. Please contact the foster coordinator via phone or text message during business hours if this situation arises.

  • Can I foster a dog to fulfill a community service obligation?

    • Unfortunately, FDR cannot sign off on court-ordered community service hours for fostering. Community service is supposed to be supervised work, and fostering is unsupervised, since it takes place in your home. If you need community service hours, we have limited on-site volunteer opportunities. You can apply to volunteer at [email protected].