How to Foster

Thank you so much for considering fostering for Freedom German Shepherd Rescue! Foster homes are the lifeblood of our rescue. Without foster homes, we cannot save these wonderful dogs. Foster families open their homes and their hearts to abandoned, abused and neglected dogs while they are awaiting their furever homes. While fostering is sometimes difficult, it is very rewarding to see unwanted dogs transform into healthy, loving family members. Foster families are responsible for caring for the dogs, socializing them, offering them basic training, and helping integrate them into family life.

Foster families are responsible for taking the dogs to scheduled vet and training appointments, speaking and meeting with potential adopters, and attending events, when available. The rescue will pay for all necessary medical care, food, and monthly preventatives. If needed, a crate will be provided. Dogs will be matched and offered to foster homes based on the criteria that the foster family provides. We ensure that all of our foster families have all of the tools they need to help the dog. Freedom German Shepherd Rescue has a foster coordinator readily available to the foster family to guide them in helping the dog to become the best it can be. Clear lines of communication are essential and we have a structure in place to ensure that our foster families always have the resources they need. Due to limited volunteer availability, we can only support foster homes in NC and SC.

If you live in NC or SC and think you can offer a shepherd in need a loving foster home, please complete the free foster application AND foster contract below. As with our adoption application, the foster family will need to pass a vet check, phone interview, and home visit before being allowed to foster for the rescue.

The foster application process is much like the adoption application process minus the application fee.

You must be 18 years of age or older to foster a dog. Once the application process acknowledgement and application have been submitted, the application will be forwarded to a volunteer who will perform the vet check. The vet check will ensure that any current and previous animals in the home are consistently vetted, up to date on shots and are altered. Dogs must be altered, up to date with rabies and dhpp vaccinations, and consistently receiving heartworm preventatives and annual fecal and heartworm exams. Cats must be altered, up to date on rabies and dhpp vaccinations. Please note, your veterinarian’s office will be contacted, so please let them know a volunteer from Freedom German Shepherd Rescue will be calling and give them permission to answer any questions about your animals. If the veterinarian’s office is not informed, your application may be held up and can take longer to process. Please also list any and all vet offices where your pet has been treated, to include low cost clinics, complete with their addresses and phone numbers, to help facilitate the vet check process.

Once the applicant has passed the vet check, an foster coordinator will contact the applicant about setting up the phone interview. Once the phone interview has been completed and passed, the home visit will be scheduled. An applicant must pass all parts of the application process to be considered approved to foster a dog from Freedom German Shepherd Rescue. Yes, the application process is very thorough. We do that to ensure that any dog that we intake is well taken care of to reduce the chances of the dog ending up in a bad situation and/or being moved to another foster.

Please note that it can take up to 4 weeks to process an application from start to finish, with the primary delay being getting the home visit scheduled. Our goal is for each volunteer to return communication within 48 hours. Fosters are the lifeline and heart of a rescue like ours. Thank you for opening your heart and home to a dog in need. You will be a true lifesaver. 

Q. What happens if I get a dog that does not work for my home? 
A. Our foster coordinator or one of our trainers will help you work through any issues you may have. If the issues are irreconcilable, we ask that you give us three days to move the dog.

Open your home and

Help a dog in need

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