You’ve seen the word tossed around a lot lately, and you probably know someone that is doing it – but what exactly does it mean to foster a pet?
Fostering a pet means that you are opening your heart and home to a pet that is currently homeless. You provide a safe and stable environment for a pet who cannot be with their family. An environment that feels like home instead of a shelter, is usually best for pets.
Pets, like people, need a place to feel safe; a place where they can let their guard down and relax, where they don’t have to worry about where the next meal will come from, what other animal might challenge them in the night, or if they will be warm and dry. Many pets have been neglected or abused and don’t know what a loving home feels like. Foster families help them learn what it’s like to eat, sleep and play in a safe space. This is allows the pet's true character to shine!
So, what types of dogs can benefit the most from fostering?
Groups all over the country continue to need your help. Talk to rescues and shelters in your area to find out more about their foster program and the help they need. If you don’t know who is saving lives in your area, sign up here to be connected.
Good Home, a newly launched program of Greater Good Charities, connects qualified pet foster volunteers with animal shelters across the U.S. The program was born out of #StayHomeandFoster, a national effort created by Greater Good Charities that registered more than 92,000 pet volunteer fosters during the COVID-19 pandemic. Good Home also provides in-kind grants of animal care supplies, training, and resources for shelter partners on recruitment and retention of foster volunteers, and best practices for pets in care through adoption. We believe no pet should wait for an adopter in an animal shelter when it could wait in a Good Home.