Interested in FOSTERING?
OC Poundhounds 100% on people willing to open their hearts and homes up to a dog we are rescuing from the shelter system. We understand fostering a dog is a huge commitment and may not be the easiest thing to do. It’s easy to settle into a daily routine and not want to take on additional responsibilities BUT, there is an orphaned dog that very much needs to settle into your routine with you, to help them find a forever home.
By having a foster dog it allows the dog to spend time with you, your pets, and family members and helps us understand what type of home is best suited for each dog, along with their individual habits, quirks and traits that make each one unique. OC Poundhounds can share this information with potential Adopters, allowing a more successful forever placement. It also teaches the dog how to properly behave in a household, which will make them more adoptable.
Of course there is always the case of the dog you are fostering is such a great fit for you and your family that you cannot see giving them up, then you join the ranks of our “Failed Fosters” who have happily adopted their foster dog!
By volunteering to foster a dog, you provide invaluable care, nurturing, guidance, and structure that cannot be purchased or replicated in any kennel environment and know that you have helped save a life.
OC Poundhounds provides all veterinary care and dog related supplies (such as food/crate/dog bed/flea prevention/collar, harness and leash and tags) – you volunteer to provide the love and the routine and structure that a dog needs to flourish!
All dogs placed in foster homes are altered (spayed/neutered), current on vaccinations, and micro-chipped.
Please Note:
- If you are a person that has to have all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed and require guarantees in life then fostering is probably not the best situation for you;
- If you have to know the history of the dog, fostering is not for you. We know as much as you – the dog ended up at the shelter;
- If you are a person who wants the dog to be house broken / house trained, then fostering is not for you. Most of our dogs come out of the shelter system and have to re-learn their house manners. They have had no choice but to take care of business where they eat and sleep while in the shelter system;
- If you are a person who wants the dog to be good with cats, rabbits and any other creature, we know as much as you, which is we have no idea. It is trial and error and the foster is expected to manage the situation as we often do not have another foster home available for the dog;
- We do not recommend placing our small breed dogs with babies, toddlers and small children. Small breed dogs and babies, toddlers and young children are usually not a good mix. As we do not know the history of the dog we have no idea how they will react and many of our small dogs are frightened of children which can equal a bite;
- If you want a dog that does not bark, then Basenji Rescue is recommended. Otherwise, dogs bark and as a foster is is your responsibility to manage it.
- If you are not a person who can be flexible and roll with the punches, fostering is not the best situation for you;
- Be honest when you assess yourself as a dog’s life is at stake.
Length of fostering is a minimum of 30 days up until the dog is placed, which could be up to three (3) months, or longer, in this economy.
If you are interested in fostering one of our new arrivals, please contact us at adoptme@ocpoundhounds.com, after completing and submitting our Foster Application, which can be downloaded from this page.