Foster Program

Calibrate Your Expectations

Read The Highs and Lows of Fostering(PDF, 143KB) to understand what to expect and determine if fostering is the right choice for you.

Read our Fostering Needs(PDF, 131KB) to understand what situations will mean an animal needs a foster home, as well as general care expectations and time commitments.

Foster Animal Selection:
Our foster program is for animals that staff identify as appropriate for foster homes. Staff will contact foster homes when an animal needs fostering. Foster homes cannot select an animal to foster that has not been identified as needing a foster home.

Foster Home Approval:
Starting January 1, 2020, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) updated the rules found in Iowa Administrative Code 21 Code 67 – Animal Welfare Rules, which apply to all licensed Animal Welfare Commercial Establishments in Iowa. The application, home check, and approval process for our foster program reflects the information and policies required in our program.

Foster Homes "On Deck":
Our program utilizes an "On Deck" process. Foster families are entered into the program and entered into the line up of open foster families. The top foster family is "On Deck" and expected to pick up a foster animal on the same day they're notified of a foster animal in need, and by no later than the end of the shelter's hours of operations. Foster families will know when they are "On Deck" and expected to respond. Foster families are responsible for notifying the shelter of any planned and unplanned periods where they will be unable to foster.

Species of Animals to Foster
Cats: This is our most common need for fostering for a wide variety of reasons due to age, medical condition, and behavior. The majority of foster homes are needed for cats.
Dogs: This is a less common need for fostering, as our dogs are typically quickly adopted before a foster home is needed. The most common situations for this would be dogs who are highly stressed or recovering from a medical condition/surgery. Fostering for pregnant/nursing dogs and/or puppies is rare for our agency.
Rabbits & Other Small Pets: While rare to need fostering, some rabbits and other small pets such as guinea pigs occasionally need fostering if they are highly stressed at the shelter, or recovering from a medication condition/surgery

Apply!

If you've read through what to expect and you think you're ready, fill out our foster application to start the process!

Apply to Be a Foster

Complete the "Home Visit"

The State of Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship requires home checks for all foster families.

Once your application has been approved by a staff member, a volunteer with our foster program will reach out to you to schedule your foster home check.

Home checks are required annually. Every spring, the foster program coordinator will contact you to confirm if you'd like to be a foster parent again for the coming year. If so, your annual home check will be arranged.

You're a Foster Parent!

Once your home visit is complete,  you will join the "On Deck" list for immediate fostering needs. If the immediate fostering need does not match what you have selected for the species and type of fostering you'd like to do, you will be passed for the next foster parent on the list.

Once you're a foster parent, it is your responsibility to communicate with staff for times you will be unavailable to foster.

Foster parents are a part of the volunteer program, and so will be invited to all volunteer events and receive regular communication about the happenings around the shelter.