Fostering is a big part of the rescue process. Please apply if you have the time and willingness to temporarily care for a rescued dog. The rewards of fostering are many. You gain a sense of belonging to a cause greater than yourself. You can feel accomplished for helping an animal in need. You can experience the feeling of unconditional love.




FAQ

What does the rescue provide and cover during the foster period?

• Pixie Mamas Rescue (PMR) will cover all approved vet visits & medications. We can also provide many basic supplies from our volunteer and foster network (crates/kennels,  martingale collars, bedding etc.).  Unless otherwise arranged, the foster parent is responsible for providing food and toys for the dog while it is in their care at home.

How long does fostering last?

•  You might have a foster dog for as little as a couple of weeks to as long as a few months, depending on how long it takes the rescue to find a forever home for them. 

• Yes.  We will post dogs to our private foster group with as much information as we are given and you can decide if it will be a good match for your home.

• Yes. All dogs in our care are up to date on their core vaccines. Sometimes new rescues or puppies need boosters during their first few weeks with us, so you may need to set up a booster visit. (You’ll be responsible for bringing your dog for that.)  (For puppies, “up to date” doesn’t necessarily mean safe for walking around in public.)

• Not always.  Adult dogs must be spayed or neutered before adoption and you may be responsible for getting them to their appointment.  Puppies may be adopted out unaltered with a spay/neuter contract if we cannot alter them before adoption. 

• All kinds! Or maybe very few; who's to say? Fostering a dog is very rewarding and can also be at times difficult, frustrating, confusing, heartbreaking... There are many variables, so your experience as a foster parent will depend on your history and past encounters with animals, lifestyle, and personality type. It will also depend on the dog you're fostering — each is an individual and completely different from the next. One dog might bounce into your home footloose and fancy-free and have few accidents, while the next could be quite shy at first and require housebreaking training, for example. Almost all dogs in new environments exhibit signs of stress at first, so no matter the animal you take home, it's very important that you be patient with things like accidents, barking, chewing stuff up, pacing, restless nights, and so on for at least the first few days.  We'll do our best to make sure you know about any of these fun bonuses as long as we do, but if you notice anything that hasn't been brought to your attention, please bring it to ours so we can address it ASAP. Ensuring all of our dogs get individualized care and attention is one of the main reasons you are fostering them! Try to remember they often come from very bad places where they've been neglected, forced to live outside or in a basement, and have never seen a vet in their life. Cut 'em some slack. Fostering is incredible, but nobody ever said it's easy.  

• You are expected to provide your foster pet with all of the loving care it needs, including (but not limited to) food, water, shelter, exercise, and medication when required.  When it’s time for your foster pet to meet a potential adopter, you’ll need to be cooperative and available to do so. You’ll need to be able to transport your foster pet to vet appointments, adoption events, and home visits. You must answer any questions we may have about your foster pet so that we can make sure it stays healthy and gets adopted to the best forever home possible. 

• Our adoptable pets are listed on multiple pet search websites such as Petfinder,  Adopt-A-Pet and of course, Pixie Mamas Rescue.  We regularly share updates on our animals in foster care via Instagram & Facebook and we often have adoption events you can attend with your foster dog. 
  

• Events are not mandatory but a great way to get exposure for your foster dog so he/she can find a forever home faster.  They are also a great way to have an initial meet and greet with potential adopters.  

• Please understand that new foster homes cannot adopt their first 2 foster dogs.  However, you are able to adopt any other dog moving forward should the dog be an appropriate match for your home.  Approval and training a new foster home is a lot of work for our volunteers and different from our adoption process. 

• No, unfortunately, we do not allow foster to adopt.