FOSTER HOMES DESPERATELY NEEDED!
Almost all the dogs on our site are in need of foster care. Many are currently in large group foster homes where they get very little individual attention. This makes it tough to get to know them and find them a home. That is why they need you! Some of the dogs in need are listed below.
Interested in fostering?
Most of the dogs listed on our website are in a large group kennel home. They do not get the love and attention they need due to the volume.
Most people say they simply can’t foster because they would get too attached. But if you look at it as saving a life and take your personal emotion out of it, you can do it! I am the most emotionally attached person to animals you will ever meet and I do it!
Dogs in Foster Homes Get Adopted More Quickly!
People like the fact that the dogs have been in normal homes and we know how they will act or react. They like knowing if they need crating or can have free run. Can they walk on a leash or do they need training, etc etc.
Why foster for Forgotten Paws? Our foster homes have the option of being involved in the decision of who adopts their foster dog. If you bring your foster dog to an event, the dog will be coming back to your home that same day. We do not let our dogs walk away with strangers we have not checked out. No dropping them off never to see them again! We allow our fosters to be hands on if they want. The foster home and Forgotten Paws director must AGREE that this is the right home for the foster dog.
Forgotten Paws pays for all veterinary care needed for the dog. We supply all monthly preventative medications. All we ask is that you supply food and love the dog and let us know their habits and needs when we are looking for a new home.
Foster Home Requirements:
- We supply everything you need. We ask you to provide food but if that is not possibly we will get food to you.
- Requirements are different for each dog. Some dogs need fences, tall or short. Some dogs need no cats, others are fine with them, etc.
- We hold adoption events every Sunday and ocassionally on Saturdays. Our Sunday events are in the same location in Altanta. Our Saturday events move around town. We ask that you get them to at least two events a month.
- You do not have to stay at these adoption events. You can drop off your foster and pick them up at the end of the event.
- We do all we can to make fostering as easy as possible.
What is a temporary foster home? A Temporary Foster Home is a person or family who temporarily houses a homeless pet until we can find that baby a home. 99% of our dogs are indoor dogs but there are a few occasions when we will accept an outdoor home for a specific dog. All of the dogs listed below (and more) are in need of foster care until they can be placed.
What is a permanent foster home? A Permanent Foster Home is a home who houses and loves a foster dog for Forgotten Paws while Forgotten Paws remains responsible for the veterinary care of that dog. Permanent fosters are responsible for food and toys, etc. Permanent fosters are needed for our elderly dogs who will never be adopted. Many people don’t want to adopt an elderly dog b/c of the potential veterinary expenses. If you are a permanent foster, those expenses are picked up by Forgotten Paws.
A note from a Foster Parent:
Since I started fostering, I have discovered that there are a number of misconceptions about the true purpose of fostering a dog. Some people view fostering as a trial period to determine whether they want to adopt a dog permanently. Some start out with the right intentions, but become too attached to the dog and are unable to give it up. Others are only willing to foster one particular dog that they already feel an attachment to. Some potential adopters think fostering is a good way to get a free dog, free vet care and supplies. In my opinion, none of these attitudes reflect the true spirit or intent of foster care programs
So how do I prevent myself from becoming too attached? I never think of a foster dog as “mine.” Each dog already belongs to someone else — it just so happens that I haven’t met that person yet. The dogs just stay with me until their special person is able to come and take them home. Another foster volunteer looks for minor, arbitrary faults in each new dog: “Oh, well, we don’t need another male.” “This one’s nice, but we already have a white one.” And of course the easiest way to keep from getting too attached is to remember that there is another dog that needs my help after this one goes home.
I try not to be too picky about which dogs I will foster. Within limits, I will take whichever dog needs me at the time. My only requirements are that the dog can reasonably be expected to get along with my other dogs and not devour my cat. I don’t go to the shelter and say, “Oh, that one’s cute and quiet and will be easy to place without a lot of work.” Instead, I wait for a call saying, “There’s a dog that really needs help.” This is probably why I usually end up with the big, rowdy, untrained, adolescent, shy, sick, or ordinary-looking ones. They need my help to become healthy, trusting, well-behaved companions. Sometimes they are perfectly healthy and well-mannered, but just need a little extra time and effort to find a new owner who can see their inner beauty.
Fostering is not a way to get a free dog. It is not a trial period before adoption. And it certainly isn’t easy. Fostering is a way to help a dog that really needs you. It requires dedication, time commitment, and above all an understanding of the purpose of the process.
So what is fostering? For me, it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done
Read this wonderful poem: http://www.fosterdogs.com/pieces.html