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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFostering a dog means providing temporary care while a shelter or rescue arranges the dog’s next step. Before bringing one home, ask the organization how it matches dogs to households, what supplies and veterinary care it covers, whom to contact in an emergency, and how adoption and handoff work. Foster programs differ, so the organization’s instructions—not another program’s manual—should guide your care. The ASPCA’s overview, published April 30, 2025, also emphasizes that arrangements vary among shelters and rescues.
Before you agree to foster
Start with a conversation with the foster coordinator. Share practical constraints such as other animals, children, available space, time at home, and any limits on transport or exercise. Best Friends Animal Society’s Dog Foster Care Manual describes its Utah program matching dogs to caregiver requirements and encourages caregivers to raise concerns about a proposed fit before taking a dog. That is a useful model for the conversation, not a universal matching policy.
Ask the organization to explain its own expectations in concrete terms:
- Which food, equipment, and other supplies are provided, and what must you supply?
- Who pays for veterinary care, and which clinic or provider may you use?
- How do you get routine advice and reach someone after hours or in an emergency?
- What daily care, exercise, transport, or appointment attendance is expected?
- How should you report health or behavior concerns, and what happens if the placement is not working?
- Who handles adoption inquiries, introductions with potential adopters, and the final handoff?
Many programs provide supplies and needed veterinary services, but the ASPCA notes that arrangements differ. Confirm details before buying equipment or accepting a placement.
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Prepare a safe, quiet space
Set up one calm indoor area where the dog can rest and settle without having to explore the whole home immediately. A baby gate or appropriately sized crate may help if the foster organization recommends it and the dog is comfortable using it. Provide a bed or other suitable resting place, water, and room to move safely.
Dog-proof the area before arrival. Put away people and pet food, medications, cleaning products, cosmetics, cords, and anything small enough to swallow. Secure trash and cupboards, and remove items the dog could knock over or chew. Keep the dog indoors and follow the organization’s rules for outdoor time and supervision.
Best Friends Utah’s supply list includes food and water bowls, dry food, a collar with an ID tag, leash, bedding, baby gate, appropriately sized crate, treats, durable toys, and grooming supplies. It says its program can provide needed supplies. Use this list as a prompt for your coordinator—not as a universal shopping list.
Make the first days manageable
A move into a new home can leave a dog uncertain or frightened. Keep the first days predictable: provide access to the settling area, allow the dog to approach people at its own pace, and avoid a stream of visitors or outings. Best Friends Utah advises minimizing introductions during the first couple of weeks; your coordinator can tailor the timing to the particular dog.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Introduce household animals gradually and supervise their interactions. Do not leave a foster dog alone with resident pets until the organization has advised you and you have established that it is safe. Best Friends’ manual gives its own step-by-step guidance for dog and cat introductions; consult your coordinator rather than treating those procedures as universal.
If children live in or visit the home, explain that the dog needs space while eating, chewing, or sleeping. Supervise every interaction. Children should not chase or tease the dog or take valued objects from it.
Establish food, exercise, and enrichment routines
Follow the foster organization’s directions for food, portions, and medication. Best Friends Utah’s manual describes dry food unless the coordinator specifies otherwise, with amounts based on age and weight and clean water available. It cautions caregivers against changing the dog’s diet without contacting the foster department. These are program instructions, not individualized veterinary advice.
Ask what level of activity suits this dog and what equipment or precautions to use. Best Friends Utah recommends activity appropriate to age and energy, including two 30-minute walks or play sessions daily in its program, as well as mental stimulation. Do not assume that schedule is right for every dog.
Enrichment can include a suitable food-dispensing toy or durable toy. Choose items appropriate to the dog, supervise as needed, and keep high-value items apart when animals are together. If the dog guards food or objects, or you are unsure how to manage an interaction, contact the coordinator instead of testing the dog.
Follow the organization’s medical and behavior instructions
Health concerns and veterinary care
Ask for the dog’s available medical information, medication directions, the routine veterinary-care process, and the emergency contact before you need them. Best Friends Utah provides foster caregivers with a Foster Goal Sheet containing vaccine dates and known conditions; its manual directs caregivers to complete prescribed medication and contact the coordinator with concerns. In that program, the coordinator authorizes treatment and arranges visits with approved clinics. Other organizations may use different procedures.
Do not arrange treatment on your own unless your organization’s policy or an emergency instruction tells you to. Use the organization’s designated emergency number and authorization process, and report changes in appetite, activity, or other concerns promptly. A symptom described in one program’s manual is not a diagnosis or a substitute for veterinary advice.
Behavior and communication
Reward behavior you want to encourage and use calm, positive reinforcement. If a behavior is worrying or beyond what you can safely manage, contact the coordinator early; do not rely on punishment or attempt an unfamiliar intervention without guidance.
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Share specific observations with the organization: what the dog enjoys, how it responds to routines and people, and any preferences or challenges you notice. The ASPCA’s position statement on shelter dog behavior assessments supports gathering useful behavioral information while avoiding unnecessary delays in moving dogs into homes or relocation programs. Your observations can help the organization make decisions without being treated as a definitive assessment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Help the dog move toward adoption
Ask how the organization wants you to contribute to the dog’s adoption profile. Best Friends Utah invites caregivers to share preferences and quirks with the coordinator and may accept photos and biography contributions. Its manual also describes bringing dogs to an adoption center according to that program’s schedule; other organizations may handle visibility, adopter contact, and handoff differently. Adoption screening remains the organization’s responsibility in the Best Friends example.
Before placement, clarify whether you may speak with prospective adopters, attend meet-and-greets, or arrange any handoff yourself. Follow the organization’s process so the dog’s information and care remain coordinated.
Compare foster programs by the support they offer
If you are choosing among organizations, compare the practical arrangements rather than relying on a general promise of support. The ASPCA notes that foster programs differ; the following questions make those differences easier to evaluate.
| What to compare | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Supplies and costs | Which food and equipment are provided? Which veterinary costs are covered, and is caregiver approval required before treatment? |
| Time and transport | What daily care, exercise, appointments, adoption events, or transport will you be expected to handle? |
| Medical and behavior support | Who answers routine questions? What is the emergency process, and what help is available for behavior concerns? |
| Matching | How does the organization consider resident pets, children, home setup, and your availability when selecting a dog? |
| Placement changes and adoption | What should you do if the placement is not working? Who handles adopter contact, introductions, and the dog’s return or handoff? |
The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Highlights of the 2022 Guidelines identifies its second edition as published in 2022 and applies to foster-based rescues and other organizations temporarily housing companion animals. It provides a broader shelter-care framework rather than the household-level operating instructions a foster caregiver needs, so rely on your organization for day-to-day protocols.
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