Foster
Why Foster?
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Fostering gives animals a break from the stress of the shelter.
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Fostering helps animals become more adoptable by helping them adapt to a home environment.
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Fostering gives you the benefits of having a pet without making a long-term commitment.
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We provide all the supplies.
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We provide all medical care for the animal.
How Can I Sign Up To Foster?
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First, fill out our volunteer application HERE.
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Take a look at our adoptable dogs and cats and choose which you would like to foster OR ask the shelter staff which animal is most in need of a foster home.
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We will then work with you to schedule a time to come in.
What if I Need to Travel?
We are very flexible with respect to our fosters. We will work with you if you need to find somewhere else for your foster pup or cat to stay. Don't let that hold you back!
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🐾 Foster Puppy Guidelines –
Keeping Them Safe & Healthy 🐾
Thank you for opening your home to a foster puppy! Puppies are fragile, especially before their full set of vaccines, so please follow these DOs and DON’Ts to keep them safe:
✅ DO:
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Keep your puppy at home until fully vaccinated (usually by 16 weeks).
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Use a clean, low-traffic area for potty breaks — avoid areas where unknown dogs may have been.
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Stick to Purina One Puppy Food if possible — it helps avoid upset tummies. Let us know if you run out!
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Wash hands after handling other animals.
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Monitor for signs of illness (vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite) and contact us right away with any concerns.
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Socialize safely — introduce to household sounds, different people, gentle pets, etc. This helps them grow into confident, adoptable dogs.
❌ DON’T:
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DO NOT take your foster puppy to public places — that means no dog parks, pet stores, apartment dog runs, or neighborhood sidewalks.
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DO NOT allow your puppy to interact with unknown or unvaccinated dogs.
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DO NOT bathe the puppy excessively — one bath every few weeks is plenty unless advised otherwise.
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DO NOT switch food brands without talking to us first — sudden changes = messy consequences!
💡 Other Tips:
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Puppies sleep A LOT — give them quiet time to nap and recharge.
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Teething happens — offer appropriate chew toys (not your shoes or cords).
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Keep puppies indoors — they’re not ready for the backyard unsupervised.
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Crate training can help build good habits and make them more adoptable.
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Take tons of cute photos and share their personality with us so we can help find them a great home!
📢 Foster-to-Adopt 📢
We offer a 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐭𝐨-𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭 option for kittens and puppies that are too young to be spayed or neutered at the time of adoption.
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬:
• You take the animal home as a foster.
• You must live within 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 to participate.
• We will notify you when your foster is due for vaccines (typically every 𝟐 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬), and you 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬.
• Once the animal is old enough, you will return them to the shelter for their spay/neuter surgery.
• After surgery, you can complete the 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
🛑 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐭𝐨-𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭?
It’s better for their developing immune systems to be in a home environment rather than a shelter. A quiet, clean home helps reduce stress and exposure to illness, giving them a healthier start to life.
🔍 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫:
While the official foster agreement will be signed before taking an animal home, we want you to be aware of a few important expectations:
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The animal remains the property of the WCSPCA and must be returned upon request.
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No alterations (such as declawing or ear/tail cropping) may be made.
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You must provide clean shelter, food, water, and love. (We will supply food, litter, formula, and any needed medications.)
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If medical or behavioral concerns arise, notify us immediately — we’ll decide on the next steps.
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You may not rehome or place the animal with anyone else unless approved by Tonya (CEO) or Erika (Operations Manager).
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You must inform us of any changes to your contact or living situation.
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Any unauthorized vet care will be at your own expense.
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The WCSPCA is not responsible for damage, illness, or injury caused by the foster animal.
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This program gives animals a healthier start and helps match them with loving homes early in life. 💕
If you're interested in joining the foster-to-adopt program, reach out to us or visit during shelter hours.