Save a Life by Fostering!
Fostering a dog is one of the best ways to help a dog in need (short-term fostering is called dog-sitting)! Having a dog live in foster home helps us know the dog better so we can match them up with an adopter who fits the dog. As a foster home, you get the benefit of a dog’s love and fun without a long-term commitment and the knowledge that you helped that dog go from a shelter to their forever home!
Who can foster?
Everyone! Families of all stripes and ages can foster a dog! As long as your landlord or HOA allows dogs, we have dogs for every living situation from city apartments to suburban homes!
How long does fostering last?
The short answer is it depends on the dog but you get to choose between different types of fostering based on your availability! We need “dog-sitter” foster homes who watch a dog while the main foster home goes on vacation or is unavailable for a short time. These fostering dates are known in advance and range from one day to two weeks. We also need foster homes who commit to taking a dog until the dog is adopted (which we unfortunately can’t predict but is at least two weeks). You can choose your type of fostering based on your availability!
We supply everything you and your foster dog need!
From food, leash, harness, collar, and gates to vet care and medicine. We even pair you with an experienced foster home to ensure you feel supported and get all of your questions answered!
But won’t I be sad to see the dog leave my home?
Many of our foster homes say it’s bittersweet when a dog leaves their home. But, watching how happy the dog’s new family is with your foster and knowing you helped save that dog’s life and set them up for success with their new family goes a LONG way to making your foster’s adoption day be more happy than sad. Still concerned? Stop by our adoption center or an adoption show and ask a foster how they feel about it! Every single foster will tell you that opening your home and heart up to a dog in need is the most rewarding thing they do!
How to Open Your Home to a Foster Dog
- Click the below button to create an account in Better Impact, our volunteer portal, and submit an application to foster. This process is the same whether you want to be a foster or dog-sitter.
- Complete the Foster Training Module and the Handling Training Module (these are online videos).
- You can also attend our monthly in-person volunteer orientations at our adoption center in Palatine!
- Email any questions to volunteer@sccrescue.org and check the available foster dogs page or dog-sitting page to claim your first foster!
- Important: Sometimes our email replies go to spam. Please check your spam folder for replies from @sccrescue.org and @volunteer2mail.com or add volunteer@sccrescue.org to your contacts.
What does a foster/dog-sitter home need to do?
With close support and assistance from SCCR, your responsibilities include:
- Caring for your foster dog as your own
- Bringing your foster dog to an SCCR veterinarian if needed
- Bringing your foster dog to Adoption Events or Adoption Center for meet-and-greets
- Complete an online informational form about your foster dog so our adoption team can write your foster’s bio and tell potential adopters about your foster dog.
Dogs Needing Dog-Sitters!
These foster dogs need a place to crash while their fosters go on vacation!
