0 Fostering 101 and FAQ

Volunteering with Rescue

While fostering is our most needed area, there are several ways you can volunteer with rescue. Even if you are not able to foster, please fill out the foster application and note in the comments how you would like to participate!

All volunteers must be 18 years or older. Children under 18 may volunteer if a parent or guaridan is present at all times.

Fostering!!! See below for details and answers to most questions
Transporting a dog from the shelter or owner surrender to it's new foster home or an ATDR partner vet if its health needs require immediate help
Transporting a dog all or partway to it's new forever home
Lending your personal talents to our "behind the scenes" efforts such as: photography, the gift shop, website, mailings, newsletter, etc
Assisting with a booth at an event with tasks such as dog walking, foster pen sitting, assisting with fundraising, or answering questions about our program and how rescue works. We love to make new friends at events and there are plenty of folks to coach first time volunteers. Just observe the activity and jump in where you feel most comfortable.

Fostering 101

All fosters must be 21 years of age or older, with at least one source of household income

Why is rescue and fostering so important:

Our shelters are overcrowded with stray and owner surrender pets. The reasons are too numerous to discuss here, but suffice to say, for reasons that are not the dog's fault, they end up in shelters and humane organizations.
There are not enough homes for all of these pets waiting for adoption.
Shelters and humane organizations are overcrowded with more pets arriving nearly every day.
With so many pets in need of homes, shelters and humane organizations simply cannot keep them all. Room must be made for new arrivals. Those pets that have been there the longest or have serious issues like aggression, illness or advanced age are at risk of being euthanized. It is a sad reality -- dogs and cats are euthanized by the thousands in the United States every day simply because there are not enough homes for them.

Why become a foster home/parent/family?

Foster Homes Save Lives!

When a dog (or other pet) has become a shelter pet, they normally have so much time to be adopted. Some shelters can keep any given animal for as long as the administration chooses. However, shelters with open door admissions such a most all municipal shelters and most other humane organizations, must make room for incoming animals. Those that have been there the longest or that are the least likely to be adopted when there is no place for them to go, some must be euthanized.

Any shelter, rescue, or humane organization with a network of foster homes is able to give many of the otherwise more difficult to adopt animals another chance of not only living, but a chance of being adopted and having a second chance for a good, happy life.

What do foster homes/parents/families do?

Foster parents welcome a foster dog into their homes and lives. They give him or her all the love, attention, and training one would expect any responsible pet owner to provide their own pets. Foster parents also provide food, shelter, treats, toys, and any other basic needs of the dog just as they would their own.
All Texas Dachshund Rescue has veterinary partners in several major cities across Texas and covers any necessary medical attention and medications. The foster must inform ATDR of any medical needs or emergencies that occur and take their foster dog to an approved partner vet when necessary.
Foster families also observe their foster dog for any behaviorial difficulties, quirks or special needs and report them to their All Texas Dachshund Rescue Foster Coordinator.
Chat with the potential adoptive family about their lifestyle and expectations and the dog's personality to ensure the best fit for them and our dogs. Transport foster dog all or partway to its new forever home.
If at any time, All Texas Dachshund Rescue asks that the foster dog be returned, for any reason, the dog must be returned immediately. If the foster dog is not working out in the home, the foster will only retuen the dog to an ATDR volunteer

What do foster homes/parents/families have to have available for their foster pets?

Foster homes must have a stable home environment, preferably with at least one adult at home most of the time.
The physical space in their home and yard to provide their foster dog with needed space. This includes the indoor space to not only participate in family activities, but to have a safe "get-away-from-it-all cubby". Just as people sometimes need a bit of alone time, so do many dogs. This can be accomplished with an appropriately sized crate with the door left open, away from the main traffic patterns in the home or even a "cubby" that is already formed by the furniture arrangement with a nicebed to snuggle in.
A securely fenced yard is normally required (electronic or electric perimeter fencing is not considered secure). Some dogs can be securely contained with 4-foot fencing, others require 6-foot fencing to prevent fence climbing. The fence is to protect the dog from getting loose as well as protect the dog from other intruders, human and animal alike. Sometimes repairs or modification of fencing may be required.
The love and dedication to take a dog into your home, life and heart, knowing that once it's spirit and body are healed its forever family will discover him/her, patiently waiting for them to adopt and love it for the rest of its life.
The ability to transport their foster dog to and from approved ATDR partner veterinarian as well as to meet-and-greets with potential adoptive families.
Willingness to communicate and work with their Foster Coordinator as frequently as necessary.

What if a foster home/parent/family decides that they just have to adopt their foster dog?

We've ALL been there!!! Should a foster family decide that they want to adopt a particular foster dog, the normal adoption process must be followed. The foster family will of course, normally, have first option to adopt their foster dog.

How long will a foster dog be in a foster home?

The reason for the dog needing foster care will normally give an indication as to how long foster care will be needed. Some dogs will only need a couple weeks of observation and stabilization time before they can be adopted. Others will need longer to overcome an injury or illness. Some dogs with long term special needs or older, especially mixed breed dogs may need more time in foster to allow a good forever home to be identified. The expected length of foster care is normally discussed on a case by case basis between a potential foster home and the All Texas Dachshund Rescue Foster Coordinator.

How does someone become a foster home/parent/family?

A Foster Home Application must be filled out online and submitted. Everyone in the household must be in agreement to becoming a foster home. If renting, the landlord must be in agreement as well.
The foster or application coordinator will contact the applicant to discuss any questions
If everyone is still in agreement to becoming a foster home, an in-home-visit will be conducted with all family members present. This is to assure that everyone is in agreement and capable of the proper care and treatment of foster dogs and that the home and fencing is appropriate for the type or types of dog or dogs being considered for fostering. This is not a "white glove inspection" of the home, but rather an informal on-site interview. It gives the foster applicant as well as the All Texas Dachshund Rescue Foster Coordinator the chance to interact and assure all involved of reasonable expectations as to the foster process.
Once the foster application process is completed, a Foster Home Contract must be signed by all adult household members and the All Texas Dachshund Rescue Foster Coordinator. The contract specifies what the foster home is responsible for, what All Texas Dachshund Rescue is responsible for as well as the disposition of any fostered dogs.

To fill out our online foster application form click here: ATDR Foster Home Application

If you have qustions about the application process, please contact: application@atdr.org