Animal Welfare Professionals

I'm looking for the best ways to attract and retain good fosters. 

We to beef up our foster/volunteer program with an emphasis on foster to adopt.

Thanks,

#FosterPrograms

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Ernest Hagan
Animal Services Director
Clay County Animal Services
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Foster-to-adopt (a/k/a "foster fails") will cause you to constantly need new fosters.  They adopt and then they're not available to foster the next dog.  That's okay if they are one-and-done folks that always planned to adopt their perfect match if it came along, but if they're your most experienced rehab foster people who can handle behavior and medical needs, it's crushing to lose them because it takes a long time to develop those skills.  Be careful what you wish for! 

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Maggie Thomas
President
Red Stick German Shepherd Rescue
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Actually, I'd be interested in hearing any additional ideas beyond foster to adopt. As Maggie pointed out, with foster to adopt you end up having to constantly recruit new foster families.  As a small organization the challenge we have is that foster families  are very enthusiastic when they first sign up.  They want kittens right away.  But when those get adopted, they want to have another litter waiting in the wings for them to foster.  If we don't have any to give them right away, they lose interest and become unavailable.  Our kitten season has intense periods where we are flooded with intakes, and other times are really slow.  So it's hard to sustain their interest in the program long term.  Some also don't want to do any "long term" fostering for kittens that don't get adopted quickly.  How do other small organizations manage their foster recruitment?

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Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT
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Our foster program has had great success with vets in the area letting us put up flyers and brochures for our foster and volunteer program in their office. We got a LOT of new volunteer and fosters this way!

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Maddie Corey
Simply Cats
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 08:56 AM
From: Gwen Harding-Peets
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Actually, I'd be interested in hearing any additional ideas beyond foster to adopt. As Maggie pointed out, with foster to adopt you end up having to constantly recruit new foster families.  As a small organization the challenge we have is that foster families  are very enthusiastic when they first sign up.  They want kittens right away.  But when those get adopted, they want to have another litter waiting in the wings for them to foster.  If we don't have any to give them right away, they lose interest and become unavailable.  Our kitten season has intense periods where we are flooded with intakes, and other times are really slow.  So it's hard to sustain their interest in the program long term.  Some also don't want to do any "long term" fostering for kittens that don't get adopted quickly.  How do other small organizations manage their foster recruitment?

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Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT
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Thank you!  That's a great way to recruit.  How do you retain them?  Are they constantly supplied with fosters to take care of?

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Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 09:26 AM
From: Maddie Corey
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Our foster program has had great success with vets in the area letting us put up flyers and brochures for our foster and volunteer program in their office. We got a LOT of new volunteer and fosters this way!

------------------------------
Maddie Corey
Simply Cats
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 08:56 AM
From: Gwen Harding-Peets
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Actually, I'd be interested in hearing any additional ideas beyond foster to adopt. As Maggie pointed out, with foster to adopt you end up having to constantly recruit new foster families.  As a small organization the challenge we have is that foster families  are very enthusiastic when they first sign up.  They want kittens right away.  But when those get adopted, they want to have another litter waiting in the wings for them to foster.  If we don't have any to give them right away, they lose interest and become unavailable.  Our kitten season has intense periods where we are flooded with intakes, and other times are really slow.  So it's hard to sustain their interest in the program long term.  Some also don't want to do any "long term" fostering for kittens that don't get adopted quickly.  How do other small organizations manage their foster recruitment?

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Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT

Our foster coordinator tries to give new fosters kittens as soon as she can. Our foster program is only for kittens and pregnant cats. All of our adult cats stay in our facility. Because they are kittens, the fosters will have them for 1-4 months, and we are always taking in new kittens so we don't have a huge issue retaining them. Of course, some fosters we have to take off our list because they just aren't the best, and other times they choose to step aside because they are too busy. 

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Maddie Corey
Simply Cats
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 12:29 PM
From: Gwen Harding-Peets
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Thank you!  That's a great way to recruit.  How do you retain them?  Are they constantly supplied with fosters to take care of?

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Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 09:26 AM
From: Maddie Corey
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Our foster program has had great success with vets in the area letting us put up flyers and brochures for our foster and volunteer program in their office. We got a LOT of new volunteer and fosters this way!

------------------------------
Maddie Corey
Simply Cats


Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 08:56 AM
From: Gwen Harding-Peets
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Actually, I'd be interested in hearing any additional ideas beyond foster to adopt. As Maggie pointed out, with foster to adopt you end up having to constantly recruit new foster families.  As a small organization the challenge we have is that foster families  are very enthusiastic when they first sign up.  They want kittens right away.  But when those get adopted, they want to have another litter waiting in the wings for them to foster.  If we don't have any to give them right away, they lose interest and become unavailable.  Our kitten season has intense periods where we are flooded with intakes, and other times are really slow.  So it's hard to sustain their interest in the program long term.  Some also don't want to do any "long term" fostering for kittens that don't get adopted quickly.  How do other small organizations manage their foster recruitment?

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Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT

We are in CT.  We pull kittens and moms and kittens from down south, mostly WV and FL to help when our local area is low on kittens. This is a good way to keep kittens to foster through much of the year. During the winter we do have some older kittens that we try to help and ask our fosters to work with them. We are a very small foster based rescue and have a handful of very dedicated fosters. There are only a couple of us who can take the more complicated cases so that does hinder us at times but we can pass the kittens off to one of the other fosters when they slightly bigger and stabilized. It is tough, though, overall to recruit new fosters especially when they see all it entails. Many people are interested but when they hear they have to bring the kittens to the adoption events every weekend until the kitten is deposited or adopted it is a deterrent for some.

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Karen Hunter
Foster parent and board member
Wells Calley Cat Rescue
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 08:56 AM
From: Gwen Harding-Peets
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Actually, I'd be interested in hearing any additional ideas beyond foster to adopt. As Maggie pointed out, with foster to adopt you end up having to constantly recruit new foster families.  As a small organization the challenge we have is that foster families  are very enthusiastic when they first sign up.  They want kittens right away.  But when those get adopted, they want to have another litter waiting in the wings for them to foster.  If we don't have any to give them right away, they lose interest and become unavailable.  Our kitten season has intense periods where we are flooded with intakes, and other times are really slow.  So it's hard to sustain their interest in the program long term.  Some also don't want to do any "long term" fostering for kittens that don't get adopted quickly.  How do other small organizations manage their foster recruitment?

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Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT
------------------------------

We have foster to adopt, with each transport we might have under 5 that adopt however, some of these also continue to foster after their pup is acclimated more in their home.  They seem to want to give back so it helps the rescue.  Word of mouth also helps as they get friends and family to foster even if its for the one time.  Fosters get first choice at any incoming dogs and then we also put the information out on our fb page for any interest, yes its always searching for fosters but our list is a bit longer with this process.  We have foster coordinators, however, also have a foster support person who contacts all fosters and provides them training on what to expect, etc.

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geri golonka
Foster/Volunteer
Tiny N Tall Rescue
St. Charles, IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2023 05:58 AM
From: Karen Hunter
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

We are in CT.  We pull kittens and moms and kittens from down south, mostly WV and FL to help when our local area is low on kittens. This is a good way to keep kittens to foster through much of the year. During the winter we do have some older kittens that we try to help and ask our fosters to work with them. We are a very small foster based rescue and have a handful of very dedicated fosters. There are only a couple of us who can take the more complicated cases so that does hinder us at times but we can pass the kittens off to one of the other fosters when they slightly bigger and stabilized. It is tough, though, overall to recruit new fosters especially when they see all it entails. Many people are interested but when they hear they have to bring the kittens to the adoption events every weekend until the kitten is deposited or adopted it is a deterrent for some.

------------------------------
Karen Hunter
Foster parent and board member
Wells Calley Cat Rescue
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2023 08:56 AM
From: Gwen Harding-Peets
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

Actually, I'd be interested in hearing any additional ideas beyond foster to adopt. As Maggie pointed out, with foster to adopt you end up having to constantly recruit new foster families.  As a small organization the challenge we have is that foster families  are very enthusiastic when they first sign up.  They want kittens right away.  But when those get adopted, they want to have another litter waiting in the wings for them to foster.  If we don't have any to give them right away, they lose interest and become unavailable.  Our kitten season has intense periods where we are flooded with intakes, and other times are really slow.  So it's hard to sustain their interest in the program long term.  Some also don't want to do any "long term" fostering for kittens that don't get adopted quickly.  How do other small organizations manage their foster recruitment?

------------------------------
Gwen Harding-Peets
Volunteer, TNR, foster, board member
PANT

 I personally do not like our Foster 2 Adopt Program. I mean I like because the dogs get out of the shelter and do not have to wait for surgery onsite, but not as a general rule. Foster 2 adopts are so needy and are constantly asking questions. With your trained fosters they are used to fostering and they only contact you with real medical or behavior concerns.  I am also having issues with compliance from foster 2 adopts, no shows for surgery, not responding when we contact them. I would be interested to know if you guys run into the same problems and how you handle them.

I do have issues with retaining normal fosters, I have over a thousand people I reach out to for help, but only a quarter (if that)reply back that they can take a dog, not to mention everyone wants a little dog and very few if any want a large dog.  They are all very picky about what they take. Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

Thank you for helping to save lives!

Lori Rhoades

Animal Services Coordinator

The Front Street Shelter

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Lori Rhoades
K9 Foster and Rescue Coordinator
The Front Street Shelter
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I don't like foster-to-adopt bc they'll sometimes delay the adoption forever to try to keep finding vet care needs for us to pay for and enjoy the free HW, flea/tick, vet visits etc. That's a fantastic deal for them as long as they can run the clock on that....but it's really frustrating for the rescue.  We had one where I had to tell her I was coming to get the dog since she kept refusing to complete the adoption bc money was tight, someone was out of town, something on the dog needed to be checked out by vet first, etc.  -- she did that for many months.  Only when I told her enough was enough and her foster gig was over did she finally agree to complete the adoption -- she viewed it as "her" dog, but just wanted us to keep paying for everything as long as possible.   I've heard that same tale from several other rescues too.  So put a clock on it if you do it! 

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Maggie Thomas
President
Red Stick German Shepherd Rescue
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2023 09:42 AM
From: Lori Rhoades
Subject: What's the best way to attract and retain good fosters?

 I personally do not like our Foster 2 Adopt Program. I mean I like because the dogs get out of the shelter and do not have to wait for surgery onsite, but not as a general rule. Foster 2 adopts are so needy and are constantly asking questions. With your trained fosters they are used to fostering and they only contact you with real medical or behavior concerns.  I am also having issues with compliance from foster 2 adopts, no shows for surgery, not responding when we contact them. I would be interested to know if you guys run into the same problems and how you handle them.

I do have issues with retaining normal fosters, I have over a thousand people I reach out to for help, but only a quarter (if that)reply back that they can take a dog, not to mention everyone wants a little dog and very few if any want a large dog.  They are all very picky about what they take. Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

Thank you for helping to save lives!

Lori Rhoades

Animal Services Coordinator

The Front Street Shelter

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Lori Rhoades
K9 Foster and Rescue Coordinator
The Front Street Shelter
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For us it's been a combination of educating fosters so they feel like they have good support and supplies. If they feel supported, they will stay. If they don't, they go elsewhere. An online handbook that is easy to follow, a way to check in easy and get help for urgent needs, and food/litter/enrichment, and they stick around. When we heard through the grapevine that they moved to another rescue, this is why, because they didn't feel they were supported. But I agree with what others say. A foster to adopt is not retaining.

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Celeste Bailey
Director
Celestial Zoo Pet Rescue
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Our facility is shelter based and we really realized on our fosters to help out our pets on property. We supply medical and medical for our fosters. 

Our kitten foster program has been doing well the last couple of years. As one of the foster coordinator, I have learn when I remember the foster's name and bond with with them, they tend to return. We do have foster who foster for us year round or fosters who foster short term for us. 

Our dog foster program has just started evolving this past year. We have gotten a big numbers on dog intake and we do long term fosters, 14 days foster, weekend fosters, and a day out foster for the dogs.
this passed weekend we had gotten 30 dogs out to fostering due to the rain we had and we had sent the fosters with a report to help us learn more about the pets. So dog foster were foster fails and some foster even asked to foster the dog longer even though it was only a short term.

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Amelia Pham
Assistant Manager
WAGS Pet Adoption
Westminster
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One thing I learned a few years back regarding food -- fosters loved to have me order food for them from Chewy, along with any other supplies they needed, so that they didn't have to come pick it up from the rescue.  It was marginally more expensive for some things, but it made them happy to have it all just show up on their front porch.  A volunteer making local deliveries could also accomplish that. 

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Maggie Thomas
President
Red Stick German Shepherd Rescue
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