Foster FAQs

Fostering increases an animal’s chance of getting adopted. Foster families help teach a kitten important social skills.  Having a kitten in a social setting at home, helps them to the transition to their furever home by learning about other people and pets.  This is something that is difficult to do in a shelter.

Your own pets will learn more social skills. The more animals your pets come in contact with, the better they are at dealing with stress and getting used to strangers. Your pet might even find a playmate in your foster pet.

Fostering keeps animals out of shelters. As wonderful as animal shelters are, they can be stressful from the lack of quiet, training, and exercise. And there’s nothing like the love and warmth of a family! Animals in foster care tend to be less stressed, better socialized, and have a lower chance of getting sick than animals in shelters.

You are saving a life. You feel good, we can help more animals, and your foster pet is happy, healthy, and well-socialized. Talk about win-win-win!

We prefer that you commit to fostering your animal until an adoptive home can be found. Unfortunately, we cannot predict how long this will take. It depends on the animal’s breed, age, temperament, and the time of year, as well as how proactive you are about marketing your foster animal and attending adoption events. If you can only foster for a specific period of time, please be certain to indicate this up front. Sometimes another foster home can’t be found, which means that your animal must go to a cattery facility. We prefer to avoid this because of limit space and stressful for the animal.

Yes, so long as we all feel it makes sense. But keep in mind that adopting your foster animal may mean that you can no longer foster. We’ll be sad to lose you! Think through the decision carefully so that you are not deciding to keep the animal solely because it is too difficult to let him/her go. The first few foster experiences can be difficult, as you’ll get attached and may have trouble letting go. But remember, your role as a Foster person is invaluable! As an adopter you may only be able to save one animal’s life, but as a foster parent you have the potential to help dozens of animals.

How Not to Foster Fail!

Please notify us ahead of time so that we can make arrangements for your foster animal to go elsewhere while you are gone.

We supply food and litter along with all medical care for the foster cat.  If you are able to provide and needed supplies, it would be considered as a tax deductible donation to DREAM Animal Rescue and would be greatly appreciated.

If your foster animal has not bee named yet, yes! Animals that were turned into a shelter, however, may have had their names for years. In that case, we recommend against giving them a new name or suggest you find a name similar to their existing one. All DREAM animals names must be unique for our records, but you can search our web site to see if a name has already been used.

You must be 18 years of age or older.

No!  What you need is love for animals and wanting the help care for animals in need.  We can help you with any knowledge gaps you may have.  But what an animal in need needs the most is care and love.  You don't need a large space.  Remember, most of these animals alternatives is a metal cage in an animal shelter.

Spread the word! Post updates on your social media accounts.  

Also, keep your foster's description current to help find the perfect match.  Kittens personalities change as they grow up.  Keep their description updated so people know your cats personality.  Are they playful, cuddly, have special needs? A special toy?  

Also, keep your foster cats photos updated.  As they get older, they can look very different.  This helps keeping potential adopters expectations in check.

Treat the animal as a furry family member with daily care and love until they are adopted.

Feed and possibly medicate the animal appropriately to their needs.

Take the animal to any necessary veterinary or other appointments.

Communicate openly and frequently with DREAM staff.Be available for meetings with potential adopters to show the foster cat in the home.

Update the animals bio description and provide updated photos.

Bring the animal to adoption events.