Foster Dog Program

It completely depends on the dog and the situation. The average stay in a foster home is about 2 months. However, most puppies and some dogs with great photos and stories on the web may stay only a few weeks. Others, recovering from an injury, certain breeds and senior dogs, may stay much longer.

YES! As long as foster parents meet the shelter requirements necessary for adoption, foster parents have first choice to adopt their foster dog.

Photos and stories of all adoptable dogs in foster homes are posted on Petfinder.com and at the shelter where the public can view them. Foster dogs are also promoted at special events throughout the year. Foster parents may participate in various shelter programs and events to increase the visibility of their foster dog to potential adopters.  Foster parents can also help promote their foster dog to their family, friends, colleagues and the general public through a variety of means including flyers, emails and even just by walking your foster dog in local neighborhoods with an “I’m available” bandana around its neck.

The process is very similar to adopting a dog from the shelter. The steps are briefly outlined below:

• Potential adopters are required to submit an adoption application for review before they can physically meet a foster dog.
• Suitable applicants may be contacted for additional screening.
• Once approved, meet and greets with the foster dog and foster parents will be scheduled with qualified applicants.
• After the meet and greet (and if the applicant is still interested in the dog), foster parents will make a recommendation to the shelter staff regarding the adoption. The foster dog stays with the foster parent until they hear from the shelter staff.
• Adoption is approved or rejected by shelter staff. Final approval of all adoptions is at the sole discretion of the Seattle Animal Shelter staff.
• Once approved, the adopter pays adoption fees to the shelter and makes a spay/neuter appointment, if necessary. Foster dogs cannot go to a potential adopter’s home until the adoption is official and approved by shelter staff. Foster dog then goes to its new forever home.

Foster parents should stay in contact with their case manager for assistance with the adoption process.

Yes, you can still foster a dog living in a small environment. Many of our dogs need one-on-one socialization, so a small space can be beneficial. However it’s important that you select an appropriate dog for your lifestyle and are willing to commit to providing your foster dog with the needed physical and mental stimulation. And of course, you still need landlord approval and must abide by any weight or breed restrictions.

Fostering is a wonderful family experience and can build a foundation of philanthropy in your children. It’s important to select a dog that is “age” appropriate with your children, and as a general rule, children under 16 years old should NOT be left alone and unsupervised with any dog. You must also be diligent about providing guidance, instructions and rules to your children about caring for an orphaned dog.

Yes! A yard is a nice-to-have for those early morning, or late night potty breaks and for a game of ball, but is not a requirement. Moreover, foster dogs are not allowed to be left unattended in a yard. The reality is that dogs don’t exercise themselves when left outside. Unfortunately many of the dogs we see at the shelter were “yard-dogs” and developed behavior issues like fence running, barking, or digging because they were left alone in a backyard. Dogs need focused physical activity, mental stimulation and socialization and the best way to do this is by walking or running your foster dog on leash.

Yes, but keep in mind that it’s always a health risk to expose your animal to other animals whether it’s walking at parks, vet waiting rooms or other common animal areas. The health risk is minimal if your animals are current on their vaccinations, maintains a healthy diet and lifestyle, and are not elderly or very young.

If you or someone in your household is immune-compromised, consult your doctor before fostering since working or living with animals exposes humans to zoonotic diseases.

Foster parents provide space, food, basic training, exercise and love for the dog. The shelter will provide you with all the other supplies and equipment needed throughout your foster experience. The Foster Dog Program receives donated items regularly, and the Help the Animals Fund pays for vet care and medicine.

No, but it is one of the most efficient and effective ways to house train a puppy or re-train an adult dog. Some dogs do not like crates, and most dogs need to be transitioned or “trained” to use a crate, so it’s up to the foster parent to decide whether to crate or not. Putting the dog in a crate while you are gone will give you peace of mind knowing that they are in a safe place, away from harm, and not doing any damage to your belongings or themselves. For many dogs, a crate can also represent a safe and comfortable place to call their own and provides them with a sense of security. Dogs actually like having a “den” to cuddle up in. Crating should never be used as punishment.

No, but you may be asked to dispense medicine to your foster dog so you will have to be comfortable following veterinarian’s instructions if fostering a sick or injured dog.

All veterinary costs are paid by the shelter through the generous donations to the Help the Animals Fund. If a foster dog becomes sick, foster parents must call the Vet Hotline. This hotline is answered by Seattle Staff and will authorize a vet visit, or advise you otherwise.

Commitment and responsibilities depend on the individual dog and situation. It’s essential that foster parents understand that shelter dogs may be stressed and moving the dog from the shelter to the foster home is also very stressful and emotional. Foster parents must be willing to be patient and commit to the dog because our goal is to keep them in a stable and consistent environment.

Many of the dogs at the shelter are “adolescent” dogs between the age of 6 months and 2 years. They typically have a lot of energy and require vigorous daily exercise. This means at least a 30-45 minute brisk walk/run in the morning and again in the afternoon, with plenty of play time in between. Older dogs may only need a morning and evening stroll.

Daily Hours:
Dogs with a cold - 3 hours
Anxiety in a kennel - 3 hours
Weaned puppies - 5 hours
Injured dogs - 3 hours
Orphaned puppies - 8 hours
Behavior cases - 4 hours
Mom with puppies - 3 hours
Cruelty victim - 3 hours

If additional health problems develop, daily hour commitments may be extended. For example, foster parents may have to transport their foster animals to the vet during regular business hours.

No. You are not allowed to take any foster dog from the Seattle Animal Shelter to an off-leash dog park. While these parks can be fun for some dogs, there are far too many unknowns for it to be a safe and healthy experience for a foster dog. Diseases are easily transmitted and the temperaments of visiting dogs are unknown, thus creating a huge liability to the Seattle Animal Shelter. Also, taking a leashed dog to a dog park can create barrier frustration and aggression in dogs.

There are two ways to make a foster dog more adoptable. First and foremost is marketing. If no one knows about your foster dog, or how wonderful it is, then it will be next to impossible to find them a forever home. In addition to supplying great photos and a bio and updating these regularly, giving a foster dog additional exposure by telling friends and family about them will help create a “network effect” and will speed up the process of finding a forever home. Simple steps like taking a foster dog on walks in local parks, outdoor shopping areas and other high traffic areas will help find potential adopters.

Secondly, our orphaned dogs benefit greatly from the exercise (with the exception of those with some medical conditions), basic training, special love and attention you give them. While marketing provides you with applicants, it’s always the dog that “closes the deal.” Providing a foster dog with basic training and manners will increase their adoptability. Shy dogs will benefit from your patience, routine and slowly exposing them to new people to build their confidence. Rambunctious adolescents who learn good manners will help show off their trainability and long term potential. And while puppies are adorable, they need a lot of love, attention and hand-holding from humans to develop properly and feel secure.

No, but we do need your help. Once a qualified applicant is identified, you will be asked to schedule a meet and greet with your foster dog and the potential adopter. Your quick response and then final input on the potential adopter is critical to finding a great match.

Many times a foster parent will find a perfect match through their own network of friends, family and colleagues. The shelter greatly welcomes these referrals! If you think you have found a perfect forever home for your foster dog, remember they still must go through the application process and be approved by the shelter staff.

We prefer that foster parents continue to foster until we find a permanent home for their foster dog. It’s extremely stressful for a dog to be returned to the shelter environment. However, we understand that situations change and it may become necessary to discontinue fostering a dog.

We request that a foster parent provides as much notice as possible (minimum 3-4 weeks) so that we can find an alternative foster home to transfer the dog to. Of course, in an emergency a foster parent may always bring their dog back to the shelter.

If given enough notice, we can usually find volunteers that can foster sit for short durations. We ask that foster parents always keep their case managers aware of any temporary foster sitting situations.

Much energy, love, time and vet care is devoted to our foster dogs, and the shelter is committed to finding homes for ALL the adoptable dogs within its care. Some dogs are in foster care because they’re seriously ill or injured. If, after medical attention, these dogs are too young or too weak to heal and are suffering, then the shelter staff will humanely euthanize these animals.

Fortunately, most dogs in foster care heal beautifully. On rare occasions, a dog in foster care may start to exhibit potentially dangerous behavior that was unknown or suppressed when the dog was at the shelter. The shelter may determine that this dog is too dangerous and will humanely euthanize the animal or seek an alternative facility for its care. Your safety is our #1 priority. You must always inform the shelter staff and your case manager if your foster dog exhibits any aggressive behavior.