Fostering Saves Lives

TARA FOSTER CARE PROGRAM

Foster parents have a direct impact on the lives of homeless dogs and cats! By becoming a TARA foster home, you will provide love and shelter for an animal who would otherwise have to live in the shelter environment. While living in the shelter is better than being on the street or ending up euthanized, it is still loud and stressful and many animals struggle to maintain their spirit when in the shelter for long periods of time.

Foster parents provide love and structure at a time in an animal’s life when they need it the most. We have also found that animals who are adopted from a foster home rather than the shelter have better success rates in their forever homes as we are able to tell their new family more about their personalities and needs, ensuring a better match.

Foster homes may provide temporary housing for as little as a few days to as long as several months. It really can be an experience tailored to fit your lifestyle.

Foster homes are an invaluable part of our adoption program and the more foster homes we have, the more animals we can save! You will be rewarded with so much joy and happiness in finding a pet a new home. Thank you!

Tips to Becoming a Successful Foster Parent

• Give your foster animal lots of attention and affection. The animal may have lived a difficult life before coming to your home; your love and attention will help to heal the animal’s physical and psychological wounds.

• Learn as much as you can about pet care. Before you bring your foster animal home, learn as much as you can about caring for that animal. Read about feeding, grooming and training. Study the warning signs that may indicate the animal needs veterinary attention.

• Make your home pet-friendly. Before you bring your foster animal home, make sure you “pet proof” your home. For example, remove poisonous plants and protect furnishings. Keep the animal’s room warm and comfortable. Also, take steps to prevent the animal from escaping. Wire crates are recommended.  

• Your own pets should be and are required to be current on their vaccinations. Introduce your foster pet to your own pets properly. We can give you advice on how to properly introduce this new animal to your own pet.

• Recognize your limits. Fostering requires a great deal of time and energy – both emotional and physical. Don’t over extend yourself by fostering animals too frequently; you may burn yourself out.

• The rescue organization depends on you to make its program work. Be sure to be available for scheduled meeting with potential homes or adoption events. If you decide to adopt an animal you foster, go through the organization’s normal adoption process. If a friend or relative wants to adopt the animal you are fostering, that person must go through the organization’s adoption process.

• Although fostering takes a great deal of time and commitment, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. You are temporarily providing a needy animal with a loving home environment and helping that animal become more suitable for adoption into a responsible, lifelong home.