What does fostering involve?
At its heart, fostering means providing a safe, caring temporary home. Depending on the dog and your circumstances, that might also include helping with house training, leash skills and routines; introducing them to new people, animals and experiences; getting them to veterinary appointments; giving medications or supporting recovery; and sharing what you're learning about their personality and needs with HEART.
You don't need to provide every one of those things to help. Different dogs need different foster homes, and we'll work to find a match that makes sense for both you and the dog.
Could fostering fit your life?
Before applying, think about your household, schedule, other pets and the amount of time and space you can realistically offer. Tell us honestly what you're comfortable with. Whether that's puppies, seniors, medical recovery, energetic dogs, shy dogs, short-term fostering or something else, knowing your strengths and limitations helps us make better matches.
Ready to help?
Complete the application below and tell us a little about yourself, your household and the kind of fostering that might work for you. We'll be in touch to talk about next steps.
Become a Foster
You don't have to be a dog expert to make a difference. You just need a safe home, some time, and a willingness to help a dog along the way.
As a foster-based rescue, HEART depends on foster homes to give dogs a safe place to land after they come into our care. Some need a quiet place to recover from an illness or surgery. Some need time to decompress and learn that they're safe. Others are ready to jump into family life and start discovering the world around them.
Fostering also helps us learn who a dog really is. How do they do with other dogs? Children? Cats? Car rides? Walks? Being home alone? Are they an adventurer or a couch potato? Confident or cautious? The more we learn, the better we can understand what kind of forever home will be right for them.
Chica “Cheeky”