Foster a dog until they find their forever home
Make a real difference for a dog in need by becoming a foster carer.
Fostering gives you all the joys of having a four-legged friend your life and makes a real difference for a dog in need. We cover all the costs and support you every step of the way, so you can focus on giving them the love and care they need until we find their forever home.
And you’re not just helping the dog you foster. You’re also making sure we have a kennel ready and waiting for the next dog who has nowhere else to go.
Who can apply
To foster a dog for us:
- You must be over 18 years old
- Experience of dogs is not essential. We’re here to help!
- Ideally, you’ll live in an adult-only homes, but we also accept applications from homes with children aged 10 and over
- You’ll live within reasonable distance to a rehoming centre. There’s a good chance you will be, as they’re spread right across the country — find your nearest centre. Foster dogs may need to visit the rehoming centre regularly to see the vet or training team for support, or to meet potential new families, so please take this into consideration.
- You can have other pets in the home, but dogs should be vaccinated, neutered, and cats should be dog-savvy
- You should be home regularly during the day (not away for more than four hours)
- You may need to continue a dog’s training programme while they’re with you, to help prepare them for their forever home
Depending on the needs of the dogs in our care, our centres may need to change their criteria from time to time.
If you've got the time, the space, the love, do it. Sign up, don't wait.
Polly, foster carer for Penrith
Fostering application and next steps
Follow our simple steps below to become a foster carer.
Send us your application
Follow the link below to start your application, which takes just under 15 minutes to complete. Once submitted, it will be sent to your nearest fostering team to review. We’ll get back to you within 7 working days.
Meet with us
If we take your application forward, we’ll be in touch to pick a time for you to meet the fostering team. This meet will take around 90 minutes.
We’ll guide you through the process and ask you to complete some mandatory training requirements.
We’ll sign you up
If all goes well, we’ll sign you up as a volunteer foster carer.
Placing a foster dog in your care
When a dog is ready for fostering, we’ll contact you and we’ll decide if your home is suitable, together. This will involve a home check.
Support and advice throughout the placement
We’re here to help you with anything you need; including guidance from our training and behaviour team, or veterinary support if you need it.
If the dog requires in-person support from our team while they’re in your care, this will be discussed with you.
When we find a forever home for the dog
While the dog is with you, we’ll continue to actively look for their forever home. When a suitable adopter comes forward, you’ll need to bring the dog back to us for meets and adoption.
You won’t be able to meet the new owners. However, any information you can …
How fostering a dog in our care helps
When a dog goes into a foster home, whether for a few days or several weeks, it means we have a kennel ready for the next dog who has nowhere else to go. And for some dogs who struggle in kennels, a foster home is a better place to be while they wait for a new home.
It means a lot to give dogs a great home, for what could be the hardest part of their life, and get them ready for a new chapter.
John, foster carer for our Glasgow centre
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FAQs
How long will I foster for?
Whilst a dog is in a foster home, we’re actively searching for their forever home. So a foster placement could be …
What if I go on holiday?
Unfortunately, foster dogs can’t be taken abroad. But they might be able to go on dog-friendly holidays in the UK. If …
What support will I get?
We’ll give you as much information about the dog as we can and provide advice and support throughout your fostering …
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