Foster Process

Overview of the Foster Program

Thank you for your interest in fostering a rescue dog! Our foster program is designed to give the foster family and the rescue dog a wonderful, rewarding experience. Our rescue is foster home-based so we are grateful to all our foster families for opening up their homes and hearts to our dogs. We want fostering to be a fulfilling, positive experience for you so our process may differ from what you have encountered in the past.

When we pull a dog from the shelter or accept an owner turn-in, the dog will temporarily reside in Tom’s home for at least 2 weeks. During this period, the dog will be spayed or neutered and treated for any medical conditions he/she may have. The dog will also be further evaluated for behavior and temperament characteristics that will allow us to place the dog in an appropriate foster home. Dogs will only be placed in foster homes once he/she is healthy and ready to make the transition. This helps to ensure that our foster families can focus on providing a safe, loving environment for the dog rather than working to resolve health issues. We understand that during the course of fostering, situations may arise in which you may need guidance in resolving. We will always be available to support and assist you in any way we can.

If you would like to be a part of our foster home network, please fill out a Foster Application. The application can be completed online or you can download the application in PDF format. Completed hard copy applications can scanned & emailed to foster@gssafehaven.org.

Foster homes are provided with one bag of dog food to start with. This will be the same food the dog has been eating prior to going into a foster home. This decreases the chances of digestive upset when transitioning into a new environment. All authorized veterinary care is also covered by the rescue. A foster handbook that includes frequently asked questions, guidelines and emergency contact information is also given to all foster homes. Fostering related items may be tax-deductible! Consult with a tax professional to learn more.