Foster Partner Agreement

 

The importance of foster partners. Thank you for volunteering to help the homeless animals of Dearborn County, Indiana! Foster Partners allow dogs much needed extra time to find the right permanent family-time that is not available to many animals at area shelters. The Foster Partners also assist the foster placements by working with the rescue volunteer to evaluate the dog’s temperament, crate train, and even house train if necessary. The dogs in the foster program are companion animals; they are to be treated as part of the family and kept indoors to socialize and sleep. The dog benefits from the attention it gets as part of a family, and is able to recuperate from spay/neuter surgery in a clean, comfortable environment. There is no way to determine how long the dog will be in the care of the foster partner family. It may be anywhere from several days to several months. The foster committee will work on placements as quickly as possible but some take longer than others.

Who to call with questions and/or problems. Each foster partner family is paired with a member of the DCFOA rescue/foster committee. Your representative will be:

Name _______________________________ Email Address ________________________

Home Phone ____________________________ Work Phone ____________________

Please contact your representative immediately if you have any questions and/or problems. They are here to assist you with the foster experience. Any problems experienced as a foster family will be experienced by an adoptive family and need to be reported to your rescue representative. Temperament evaluation is the most important step in placing dogs in the right adoptive home. Please remember that aggression towards people cannot be tolerated and must be reported immediately; aggressive animals are a danger to everyone in your household and will be removed from your home immediately.

How to introduce your children to the new dog. If you have children, NEVER introduce a new dog to them without your rescue volunteer being RIGHT THERE! Sometimes, owners giving up dogs do not give accurate information about the animals. Some dogs do not like children or are very afraid of them. We will do our best to avoid placing this type of dog in a household with children, but we do not always have accurate information about the dogs.

What supplies are needed. Crates are invaluable tools in fostering unfamiliar dogs. When a dog is first placed in foster care, we do not usually know if the dog is housetrained, if he/she chews furniture, if the dog is easily frightened, etc. Crates offer security to the dog and peace of mind to the foster family. Dogs are originally den animals and feel secure in their crates in just a few days. Don’t be surprised if, at first, he/she barks and whines to be let out of the crate. Ignore him/her and the vast majority of dogs will eventually settle down.  We will provide your family with a crate, leash, and collar for your foster dog.  Thanks to the generous donations from Tri-County PetSmart, we will also provide you with appropriate food for your foster dog.

Additional information. When your foster dog arrives, you will be told everything we know about the dog and its background. He/She will be up-to-date on shots and vaccines; if it isn’t already neutered, you will be told when the appointment is and when we will pick up the dog. Your rescue volunteer will work with you to arrange a convenient time to pick up the dog and he/she will then take it to the vet and deliver it back to your home.

Your rescue volunteer will insure that your foster dog comes to you as healthy as possible. If however, a health problem occurs, please contact your rescue volunteer immediately for assistance. Keep all receipts for all vet care; expenses without receipts cannot be reimbursed. All major medical work MUST be cleared by your rescue volunteer first.

Screening of potential homes is done by your rescue volunteer and committee ONLY. Should someone you know see your foster dog and think they may want it, feel free to give them your rescue volunteer’s phone number. NEVER place or promise a dog yourself! Your rescue volunteer has all the paperwork that needs to be done before placing a dog, and must interview the home first.

Your rescue volunteer will need to pick up the dog for potential placement meetings. We ask that you give your volunteer reasonable access to the dog.

If your family decides that you would like to adopt your foster dog, talk to your rescue volunteer. If approved, an Adoption Contract will need to be signed and the regular fee paid.

Some important points to follow. The following rules must be agreed and adhered to by all foster families. Please review them and sign below indicating that you agree to abide by them.

· Dogs will not be placed in dangerous situations (i.e. riding in an open pick-up truck or left unattended in a car).

· Dogs will be kept in a secure area when not under supervision, preferably in a crate that will ensure its safety and the safety of your family, your animals and your property.

· Dogs will be properly fed, given water, groomed, exercised and socialized.

· Dogs will not be allowed off leash except in a secure fenced area of your property and you will not use chains or tie-outs as a substitute for exercise.

· DCFOA will not be responsible for illness of or injuries to people or pets, or for loss of or damage to property resulting from the failure to follow these rules.

· Dogs will remain the property of DCFOA until formally placed in an adoptive home.

· DCFOA reserves the right to remove the dog from the foster home for any reason.

· Dogs will always wear the rabies vaccination tag supplied by DCFOA.

I attest that I understand the important issues addressed in the above document. By signing, I agree to adhere to the conditions and requirements of this agreement. I affirm that I have never been charged with animal cruelty, and that I am not, nor have ever been an animal dealer or broker.

Name (please print) __________________________________________________________

Signed ___________________________________________ Date________________________