Hi there!
I'm the foster coordinator at Mid Michigan Pug Club and Rescue, and I've been with the team the last two years. We specialize in pugs, especially seniors and special needs but we also take in those with behavioral challenges.
Though I'm still newer to our team, the rescue has built up a great foster family list over the years and we continue to add to it every few months.
1. The Success Story
Many families start as wanting to adopt, but haven't taken that next step yet to commit to adoption. By bringing them in as a foster, it's a great way for them to see if they're ready for a pug and their needs and most times it leads to a foster to adopt or foster "fail." The foster commitment with a special needs dog also gives them the opportunity to show them first hand that they are more than capable to handle it, even with the option to "opt out" if they truly aren't up to the responsibility.
The Strategy: During my interview process, I make sure to discuss high-needs cases. I share real-life examples of tough cases that had successful endings. Showing them that if someone else can do it, you can too builds immediate confidence. I also go over costs that our rescue covers which includes covering medications and behavioral classes for the dog if needed. I also help them set up appts if needed, and our team sends them local behaviorists and resources that way it's one less thing for the foster family to do as well.
2. Radical Transparency & Constant Support
For fosters taking on complex cases, the unknown can be scary. Information as Empowerment: We set them up for success by being honest about the dog's history, the expected timeline, and the full end to end process for the role they will play in the dog's journey and also our rescue.
I'm their primary first point of contact and I make sure they know they can contact me any time for help and support, and they also know that our whole rescue team is there to support if it's something I can't figure out myself. For all foster families taking in a foster dog, I check in daily at first, then move to weekly depending on the dog's needs. Knowing they aren't alone in a crisis prevents that initial panic of wanting to return the dog (then you have to find a new foster). And making them feel like part of our team rather than just another volunteer-this is important.
3. Community-Centric Messaging
We focus heavily on our Facebook and Instagram communities to tell the dog's story.
The "Bridge" Narrative: We frame the foster as the essential person who teaches the dog on how to be a dog. We emphasize that they are the person who helps them decompress and prepares them for their forever home. People love being the reason a dog has a success story, and they especially love being part of that journey.
We also host local pug meetups and events, this has built a really great community for us and has also been where we've found a few fosters and people also bring their special needs dogs to these events. Sometimes people just need to see it to understand. I personally my share my kwn pug's disability story as much as I can because she's the first special needs dog I've taken in, so it's a great example of saying how I did it, and they can too.
4. Preventing Burnout
Centralized Tracking: I stay organized using a shared sheet to track medical status, surgery dates, vet appointments, etc. and our team has access to this doc if ever they want to know a pug's status, but even with that I communicate regularly with our team. Communication is vital-if a big issue arises, I lean on my team so the emotional weight isn't just on me to make a medical decision for the dog. Having a team to talk and problem-solve with is my primary burnout prevention. I can also ask them for help if I need a break.
5. Growing the Base through Connections
Some of our best high-needs fosters came to us via recommendations from other rescues, resources and people we know in the community we've built. Building a network where others know you handle the tough ones can lead to high-quality referrals for dedicated caregivers.
Another thing is letting the foster know that once they're part of our foster base, we have other fosters that can help them as well with dog sitting, and they all are more than willing to help support each other too. For example, we took in five dogs from a bad breeder situation and started a group text chat with these five foster people to talk, connect and learn from each other since their foster dogs all came from the same place.
I don't think I fully answered all the questions but for me it comes down to communication and building community. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to chat some more about any of this or if I can help with any questions! Wishing you the best, you've got this!
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Hali Fortuna
Board Director & Foster Coordinator
Mid Michigan Pug Club and Rescue
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2026 02:35 PM
From: Kimberly Nnowalue
Subject: Seeking Advice: How Can We Strengthen Our Foster Program for High-Needs Animals?
Hello colleagues,
I'm reaching out on behalf of Sierra Overlook Animal Rescue (SOAR), a rural sanctuary-based nonprofit in Northern California. Our organization specializes in caring for animals who are often overlooked in traditional adoption pathways - seniors, special needs animals, those with behavioral challenges, and individuals considered "unadoptable" for other reasons.
We've successfully coordinated a handful of short-term foster placements in the past, typically for emergency or brief transitional situations. However, we've found it significantly more challenging to recruit and retain longer-term foster caregivers who can provide the stability these higher-needs animals truly benefit from. We know these placements can be more demanding, and we want to ensure we're building a foster program that is both supportive for caregivers and sustainable for the animals.
For those of you who have developed strong foster networks - especially for medically or behaviorally complex animals - we would love to learn from your experience:
What strategies have helped you successfully recruit fosters for higher-needs animals?
What supports or incentives have made fosters more willing to take on complex cases?
How do you structure training, mentorship, or backup support to prevent burnout?
Are there messaging approaches that have helped reframe fostering these animals as rewarding rather than intimidating?
What systems or program elements made the biggest difference in growing your foster base?
We are deeply committed to creating a foster program that sets both animals and caregivers up for success, and we would truly value any insights, lessons learned, or resources you'd be willing to share.
Thank you in advance for your guidance and for the work you each do to support animals in need.
#FosterPrograms
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Kimberly Nnowalue
Founder & Executive Director
Sierra Overlook Animal Rescue
CA
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