Preparing for Your Foster Experience.

When you take your foster animal home, they may be frightened or unsure about what’s happening, so it’s important not to overwhelm them. Prepare a special area for the foster animal to help ease his adjustment into a new home environment. Sometimes it is better to confine the foster animal to a small room or area at first, to let him adjust before giving him free rein in your home. Equip the room with food and water dishes and a litter box for cats. For dogs, this area should be large enough for an appropriately sized crate for the dog and should allow the dog access to his food and water dishes and toys.
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We request that all foster animals be housed indoors only. A backyard or outdoor run is not a suitable accommodation for a foster animal. 

Another reason that we recommend a small room for cats is because they will typically hide in new environments. It is not uncommon for a foster cat to hide underneath a bed or in a dark, quiet place for the first couple of days. Isolating your foster cat when you first take them home allows you to know what room they are in and helps you monitor their eating, drinking and potty habits more closely. During the first couple of weeks, minimize the people and pet introductions to your foster animal, so that they are only meeting immediate family and your personal pets. If you have other pets at home, it is especially important to give your foster animal a space of their own where they can stay while getting
used to all the new sights, sounds and smells.

Don’t leave your foster animal unattended in your home with your personal pets until you are comfortable that all of the animals can interact safely. Even then, we strongly recommend that dogs be separated when you are away.

Supplies You'll Need.

The Rescue Crew can provide you with any standard care supplies that you may need. Of course, we greatly appreciate any help that you can provide in supplying items for your foster animal. Here’s what you’ll need to help your foster animal make a smooth transition to living in your home:
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  • At least one bowl for food and one for water: Stainless steel or ceramic work best, however our donated bowls are often plastic and we may need to default to that when necessary.
  • A supply of dry animal food: Dogs are predominantly fed dry food unless a special diet is needed, or they prove to be a picky eater and canned food may then need to be incorporated. Cats will often be fed a combination of wet and dry.
  • A collar with an ID tag and a leash: Even though foster animals are microchipped, they still need an ID tag. We provide tags with The Rescue Crew name and contact information on them.
  • A soft place to sleep: Old towels or blankets work just fine, as do comforters and used pillows. We are certainly happy to provide pet beds when we have them available and you feel it is best for your foster pet.
  • Treats: Giving treats can be a good way to help train and build a positive relationship with your foster pet.
  • Additional Items for Dogs
  • Additional Items for Cats
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  • A baby gate: This comes in handy to keep certain areas of your home offlimits. This is one item we do not typically have a large quantity of or routinely have donated, so please give us ample notice and understanding if you are needing one to assist with keeping your foster pet safe.
  • A crate or kennel: The crate should be large enough for the animal to stand up and turn around in, but not much bigger than that. We are happy to supply you with the appropriate size crate for your foster dog – just let us know if you are in need of one.
  • ​Uncovered litter box: Make sure the box is an appropriate size for the cat.
  • Litter: Please use clumping litter, unless there are specific reasons not to, for example with kittens pine or nonclumping litter is recommended.
  • Scratching posts or trays: Try different types to see which the cat prefers.

Pet-Proofing Your Home.

Foster animals typically come from a shelter environment or free-roaming tribal lands, and even if they have previously lived in a home, we don’t always know how they will react in a new home environment. So, before bringing home a foster pet, you’ll want to survey the area where you are going to keep them. Remove anything that would be unsafe or undesirable for the animal to chew on, and latch securely any cupboards and doors that the pet could get into (particularly trash cans). People food and chemicals can be very
harmful if consumed by animals, as are certain house plants, so please store them in a place that the foster animal cannot access.

Never underestimate your foster animal’s abilities. Here are some additional tips for animal-proofing your home:
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View, download and print our Pet-Proofing Checklist.
  • Make sure that all trash cans are covered or latched and keep them inside a closet (Don’t forget the bathroom trash bins – animals tend to really like playing with toilet paper, Kleenex and other waste products often found in bathroom trash bins.)
  • Keep the toilet lids closed. Many animals come from tribal lands/Indian reservations, they may not have become accustomed to having easy access to water, and may see the toilet bowl as their primary source of hydration.
  • Keep both people and pet food out of reach and off all counter tops. Counter surfing is a regular occurrence, and one complaint that most often gets a foster animal returned from adoptive homes.
  • Move house plants or secure them. Some animals like to play with them and may knock them over or eat them, and certain types of house plants may prove to be harmful or poisonous to companion animals.
  • Remove medications, lotions or cosmetics from any accessible surfaces.
  • Move and secure all electrical and phone wires out of reach.
  • Pick up any clothing items that have buttons or strings, which can be harmful to your foster animal if consumed. Dogs in particular, especially puppies, tend to enjoy chewing on shoes that have been left lying around, and socks if chewed or ingested can pose a significant health risk.
  • Relocate knickknacks or valuables that your foster animal could knock down or perceive as a toy and want to play with, chew on or pose a swallowing hazard.
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