Fosters are central to our mission.

Fostering takes a special kind of person. Someone willing to open up their home, their hearts, and their time to caring for senior dogs.

Fostering FAQs

What does it mean to foster an animal?

Fostering is housing and caring for a homeless senior dog. When a foster dog comes into your home, you agree to provide the level of care and love you would if it were your own dog. CSDRH pays for all medical expenses and can help provide necessary pet care supplies like bedding, food, diapers, etc. Your responsibility as a foster parent is to take care of your foster dog by attending pre-approved veterinary appointments, administering medications, communicating with CSDRH about how the dog is doing, and showing the dog love and affection.

Why should I foster?

Deciding to become a foster parent to a senior dog in need is a deeply personal decision. Fostering takes a special kind of person. Someone willing to open up their home, their hearts, and their time to caring for senior dogs. It’s not always easy, and it’s definitely not glamorous, but it’s ALWAYS rewarding.

Do I need to have any special training or skills to foster?

Foster families should have experience caring for dogs. They should also be compassionate, caring, patient, loving, and dedicated. Before taking a new dog home, you’ll be given all the information we have on the dog, including medical info and behavioral info. Foster families should be willing to work with dogs who have trouble adjusting, who aren’t house-trained, and who may have issues like resource guarding or separation anxiety. CSDRH is here to support you in all of this and can help answer any questions and provide guidance that you may find helpful.

How much is the time commitment?

It all depends! Some dogs require extra care if they are recovering from an illness and surgery. However, you should be ready to dedicate as much time as you would if it were your own dog. We will do our best to match you with a dog that fits your lifestyle and availability.

How long will I have my foster dog?

It all depends! Each dog has different needs. Fostering can last anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months. If you are fostering a hospice dog, you agree to house and care for the dog until the end of its life. Hospice fostering can last up to 1-1/5 years.

What if my foster dog becomes hospice?

If your foster dog is deemed a hospice case and you don’t want to hospice foster them, we’ll work with you to re-home the dog to one of our hospice foster homes. However, you’ll need to continue caring for the dog until we find a placement. We ask all of our fosters to go into senior dog fostering with the understanding that hospice care is a posibility.

What’s covered with fostering for CSDRH?

CSDRH covers all veterinary, medical, and necessary expenses like grooming and food.

We encourage fosters, as they are able to, to provide everyday pet care basics like: bowls, leashes, collars, bedding, pee pads, etc. However, if you are in need of any of these items and are unable to provide them, CSDRH will work with you to provide them.

Through our private Foster Facebook Group, we also provide behavior assistance and training support. We are reachable at all times to our fosters; you are never alone.

How do I help my foster dog get adopted?

CSDRH utilizes numerous adoption sites (like PetFinder.com) to market our adoptable seniors. We also feature our adoptable seniors on Facebook, Instagram, our website, and in our email newsletter. We highly encourage foster parents to use their social media to spread the word about their foster dog.

have pets and/or children at home; is that a problem?

Nope! However, this is ultimately YOUR decision. We aim to place foster dogs in foster homes that meet their needs and that of the foster. Communicating in detail what your home is like, how your pets are with other pets, and how your children interact with dogs is important in helping us determine which senior dog would be the best fit for your home.

What types of dogs does CSDRH take in?

We are a rescue that works specifically with senior dogs aged 7+. These dogs often have more medical needs than young, healthy dogs and have seen a thing or two in their lifetime. However, we find senior dogs to be extra special and extra grateful for the foster homes they land in. We do not have breed restrictions, and it is up to you to determine what breed, weight, and temperaments you are willing to work with a foster dog.

What are the potential risks of fostering an animal?

As with caring for any animal, there are some potential risks involved:

Housetraining accidents – peeing and pooping in your house.
Destruction of personal items (chewing on shoes, etc).
Foster animals could die in foster care or need to be euthanized.
Your own dogs could catch a disease and/or parasite from a foster animal if they are not up to date on vaccinations and are not kept in separate areas.
You, a member of your household, or a visitor could be injured by a foster animal.

What happens if my foster animal needs medical care?

CSDRH covers all necessary medical care for dogs in our foster and hospice programs. Your responsibility here is to attend vet appointments, administer any necessary medications as part of the treatment plan, and communicate with CSDRH about your foster dog’s health.

I’m having an issue with my foster dog; what should I do?

You can either reach out to the rescue owner directly or post in our Foster Facebook Group.

Our Foster Facebook Group is where CSDRH fosters can communicate, ask questions, share about their foster dog, or search for resources. You’re never alone in this journey, and we are here to support you 100% of the way.

Can I adopt my foster dog?

Yes! Foster parents can absolutely adopt their foster dog and are given the first choice.

How do I get started?

Use the link below to fill out an Online Foster Care Application. Once that’s completed, a CSDRH representative will reach out once your application has been reviewed.