WHY YOU SHOULD FOSTER
Every dog deserves a champion
BECOME A FOSTER HOME
Are you a champion?
To foster means to temporarily open your home to a dog provide love and care while they wait to be adopted. We provide everything else: support, medical care, food and supplies.
It should cost you $0.
We cover all veterinary expenses for the dogs in our rescue. We ask all our foster families to provide plenty of love, patience, care, a warm bed, and basic training to help socialize the dog, to increase their chances of being adopted. We provide food, treats, toys, leashes, collars, kennels, etc!
Every week, we see lists of dogs who have no time left in high-kill shelters, abandoned, dogs freezing in Manitoba, etc.. but we MUST have a foster spot for each dog before committing to him/her.
Foster care is the backbone of our rescue. Without foster homes, we are unable to rescue dogs.
Our foster families provide the love, care and shelter for our rescues by opening their hearts and homes to care for these dogs until approved permanent homes are be found. We’re limited to how many dogs we can rescue without available foster homes.
Being a foster family for Paws It Forward is certainly a commitment. We know it’s not for everyone but it IS important to consider all the facts if this is something you truly want to do. Being a foster parent may not always be easy, but it is a very rewarding experience – even life changing! Just ask any of our current foster families.
As a foster family, you play an important role – you are the one who will give that deserving dog a second chance. Without our foster families, these dogs have little to no possibility of finding their forever homes.
You’ll receive in-depth information and training on fostering, dog behavior, training basics, and administrative procedures (which are minimal but important). We mentor our foster homes, and are always available for questions and emergencies.
We are privileged to have a great community of volunteers to support you with advice and concerns. Often we do not know the background of our dogs. We try our best to obtain as much information as possible to share with our foster families. Many may not be housebroken or have been mistreated, while other foster dogs are perfectly fine without any issues to work through. Your commitment, patience and compassion to these dogs will increase their chances of finding new forever homes.
We are also sensitive to the fact that being a foster can also be a tearful time for our foster families when the dog in their care has found a permanent home through our adoption program. You’ll feel a close attachment to your foster dog, that’s natural. Yes, there will be tears but remember this – it was YOU who gave your fostered dog a second chance for a new life!
This is a gift that not everyone can give. As a foster family, providing care and your love to help our rescues on to their next phase of life is a special gift you give to yourself, the rescued dog and his/her new adoptive family.
We ask our foster families to help with information about the personality, likes/dislikes, habits and training level to help our volunteer write detailed profiles for each one in our care.
Once you apply to become a foster home, we will hold onto your application until we set a date for the information session. You will then be sent a invite to attend. These meetings happen ever 2-3 months.
- One of our volunteers will contact you when a information session is booked.
- Once you have attended the meeting and have been approved, we will help match you with the most suitable dog. We will guide you as to what we believe is a good fit for your experience, lifestyle and, of course, the dog’s needs.
- Our Volunteer Team is available at all times if you have any questions or concerns.
FOSTER HOME APPLICATION
Make a difference
Fostering is an emotionally rewarding experience that you can be a part of!
WHAT OUR FOSTER SAY
"Why I Foster----
I am a dog person. I love dogs. I have had dogs as part of my family growing up. It seemed like a natural thing that I had the ability and means to do.
I was a foster fail with my second dog. I am still fostering now as it also helps in my own adopted dog to socialize given the conditions he has endured before he was rescued. I have fostered Lilo, Kai, Murphy, Daphne, Indy, Keebo, Hooch and Missy. I still find solace that I enjoy each and every one of these dogs. I have learned a lot from them and their different personalities and uniqueness they bring. I hope I bring them much memories and joy as they have brought me.
The dogs become part of our routine. They get attached. We get attached. They start to trust. They bond. They become protective. They learn to be more secure. They learn to feel safe. I gain something from each dog as they give me something back. They snuggle, they cuddle, they learn, they give you that look with their big eyes and they melt your heart. Having to let go when they find their forever home is hard. To stand by to hear and see what is in news and how some dogs have been treated and knowing that they deserve better is more difficult. I foster so that they have that chance to be adopted by a family or someone that really wants them and will love them. I foster so they can go to that better place and know I have made a small contribution to that happy ending. I started fostering to have an impact on a dog's life and continue to foster as they have an impact on my life."
- Jane L.
We have a very high energy border collie named Max. I love him to bits and we have had him since he was 8 weeks old. There are times, especially in the morning, when I thought...I wish we had another dog for him to play with so I can eat my breakfast in peace. But we didn't want another dog all the time. When I learned about PIF, my partner and I discussed it and decided to give it a try. Both of us feel strongly that giving a puppy or dog good stable home, with love, food, a sibling to play with and a snooty cat to sniff is a really important thing to do and are pleased to be able to do it. Max loves having them and is a great big brother. We get puppy snuggles and lots of amusement from watching them play. And, we know they are being prepared to go to a good home. I love how much screening PIF does for their placements. We have our third foster right now, and he is adorable. I forget from one time to the next how frustrating the house-training can be...but at least whoever is the lucky adopter of the dog will get one that is pretty much housetrained.
We plan to continue to foster and get out to as many of the events as we can. We both feel really lucky that we have the kind of home, jobs and schedules that permit us to foster.
-Gaelene A.
"We decided to become foster parents because I get to be a part of something so much bigger. Not only do I get a chance to love a creature that hasn’t had a loving past, you get to grow and learn to cherish those moments. Between the puppy problems and long hard days, I am so emotionally and physically drained, but when I come home to this amazing friend looking up at me (or more likely down at me because I am pinned down to the floor) I feel the most whole body warmth I can feel.
I am amazed at the love and relentless affection Kiah gives us every single day. Yes, there are days I want to give up and just cry in frustration, but at the end of every single day, all I want is to come home to her amazing personality.
Yes, I am a foster fail but she’s my person, and I would have never found her if I didn’t give fostering a chance."
- Carly Stephens
We foster because:
- it teaches our children to HELP and CARE for animals in need of homes no matter what the circumstances
- it teaches our children that they can make a difference in the community
- it teaches our children that animals aren't perfect; and they deserve respect and rules
- it shows our children animals are a lot of work but the reward of them loving you back is immense
- its giving our family a chance to find an animal that's going to fit into our forever home
-they are just soooo cute"
- Callan Family
"For me, I never grew up with dogs. I was never allowed to have them…..and as I got older I realized what an important part of my life dogs had become. Once dogs were in my life via a boyfriend, there was no going back for me. Those dogs passed away and together my boyfriend and I got 2 dogs. One of which, we adopted thru PIF. Love having them in our lives. Knowing how many dogs are out there who are cold, alone, starving and untouched, really affected us both so we filled out an application and started fostering right away!!!!
Long story short - I can’t imagine not having dogs in my life. Together with my daughters, we foster and fill our home with lots of puppy love. My daughters learn a lot about responsibility and we learn a lot about love, patience, and kindness to animals in need. Dogs bring us such a wonderful gift of happiness even on hard days in life. I couldn’t imagine my life without dogs or fostering….it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Haha – excuse me while I go snuggle the puppies faces now. They are so darn sweet!!!"
- Cassandra C.
"I was asked today why I foster, how I can love something so much and let it go.
I foster because every dog deserves a home. Even if it's only temporary, every dog should have a safe place to land. Some of these dogs have never felt warmth, never had a full belly, never laid on a soft bed or played with a toy. Some have never even been pet, which is blasphemous - dogs were put on this earth to be pet!
I foster because every dog deserves to know what it feels like to be loved. Some of these dogs come to us having been hurt and neglected, having experienced horrific things at the hands of humans. And yet, more often than not they look to us with trust and provide us with unconditional loyalty and love - something I think we humans could learn a thing or two about...
I foster because every dog deserves a chance to find their forever family. I'm not saying it's easy to let them go. It's hard and I miss them and I ugly cry. But knowing that they have gone off to start their life with the perfect person makes it much easier to hand over the leash. It may make for ugly crying, but they're happy tears. I foster because I can. And maybe you should too."
-Jessica L.
Have questions about being a foster home?
Read our most asked questions Or Contact us.