Fostering a rescue saves a life. If you would like to help us by fostering a rescue please fill out our Foster Application. Foster care consists of providing a safe, loving, temporary home for a rescue until a permanent adoptive home can be found. All rescues are screened for health and temperament before entering our program. We can only rescue as many rescues as we have foster homes! If you are thinking of fostering check out Becoming a Foster Parent: Are You Ready? which has a number of good things for you to think about.

We provide food, basic supplies, veterinary care, and guidance. You provide the love, training and home. Your rescue  provides you with love, joy, and the satisfaction of having saved a life.

The time involved is usually from four weeks to several months. Your foster is shown at our  adoption events and posted on two websites: ours and Petfinders.

Foster home responsibilities:

   1. Provide temporary home for your foster.

   2. Be patient. Understand that all fosters are rescues and their behavior can be unpredictable. Be prepared for some adjustment in the beginning. It can be stressful for both you and your foster to be in a new situation.

   3. Be willing to foster from rescue to adoption. The amount of time needed to find a permanent home for a rescue can vary from weeks to months.

   4. If you are working full time, provide a safe place for your foster to be while you are gone. If the foster will be outside while you are away be sure to provide a shelter for them to retreat to during stormy or hot weather. A fence of at least 6 feet is recommended to prevent a dog from jumping over. If the dog is to remain indoors we highly recommend crate training to keep both the dog and your home safe and secure. We will provide a crate if requested.

   5. Foster homes sign a Foster Agreement and agree to abide by Franklin County Humane Society's (F.C.H.S.) policies. See the Foster Manual for more information.

   6. Notify your F.C.H.S. contacts immediately in the event your foster is sick or lost (your foster agreement includes the names and numbers of your contacts). Take your foster to medical appointments and at least two mobile adoption events a month.

   7. Notify your F.C.H.S. contacts when you are going on vacation so we can provide another home for your foster to go to. Taking your foster with you also requires F.C.H.S. permission

   8. Keep F.C.H.S. informed about your foster's personality, quirks, behavior, etc. Your input is invaluable for describing your foster on the website and to potential adopters.

   9. Treat your foster as a member of your family.

Fosters are placed through adoption events, the internet, and advertising. After a home visit, all adopted animals must have adoption papers filled out, signed, and the adoption fee paid before they can go home with an adopter. We welcome foster homes that work to find permanent homes for their fosters. Franklin County Humane Society requirements must be met by all adopters. We require that foster homes be willing to foster 2-3 rescues before adopting one. We do understand that parting with your first foster is the hardest, but the rewards for saving lives is beyond measure.