A favorite quote from one of our board members is, "We are only limited in the number of animals we can help by three things: money, volunteers and space." A strong Foster Program addresses the space limitation. We receive new calls daily from owners needing to surrender their pets, kind hearted individuals who have taken in a stray, and caring animal control workers hoping to avoid euthanizing dogs or cats in their overcrowded county shelters.  A strong Foster Program addresses the space limitation and saves lives.  

 To thoroughly understand the HSFC Foster Program, please read the Frequently Asked Questions (below).

How do I become a foster parent?

If you are interested in contributing to the success of our foster program:  

1. complete the Foster Home Agreement (review, print, sign and email or bring with to the Adoption Center).
2. agree to a home inspection conducted by an HSFC representative (required by the Georgia Department of Agriculture)
3. sign the Foster and Shelter Agreement (during the home inspection)

Please understand that the Georgia DOA requirements, as well as HSFC's, were created to ensure the animals' and your safety.  The process does not take long and afterwards, you are an Approved Fosterer and will be asked periodically to foster an animal -- cat or dog -- it's your choice.  If this sounds like something you are interested in doing, please join us in one of the most important and satisfying volunteer jobs you can have at HSFC.

Questions and concerns can be directed to our Dog Foster Coordinator: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or our Cat Foster Coordinator: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We look forward to hearing from you! 

 Frequently Asked Questions:

What does it mean to be a Foster Parent for the Humane Society of Forsyth County (HSFC)? 
 
Fostering means you are helping us free up space at the Adoption Center for new animals coming into the system as well as those not yet in foster homes. You take a dog or cat into your home and care for the pet in the same way you would care for one of your own, but on a temporary basis.

What expenses should I expect to cover for my foster pet?

HSFC covers the cost of all preventative and veterinary care for the animals in our program including fosters. Most vaccinations and meds are administered at the Adoption Center. Your animal will need a vet visit for spay/neuter and rabies vaccinations. Our partner vet clinics are located throughout the county and you are free to use the clinic most convenient for you.  The vet clinics will invoice HSFC directly. If you are able to provide food (or litter) for your foster, that is greatly appreciated. If not, we are happy to share what is available in our Pet Food Pantry with our foster homes. We generally are able to lend crates, litter boxes, carriers, leashes, collars, bowls, etc. to foster homes if they are needed to care for the foster.

How long will I have my foster dog or cat?

When you agree to take a foster into your home, you can either choose to "foster until adopted" or "foster until space is available" at the shelter.  If you choose the latter, your foster goes on our waiting list along with other animals waiting to come to the Adoption Center. If your foster isn't working out, you can always switch him or her with another animal of the same species that might be a better fit for your home.  Waiting list time varies greatly, depending on how quickly animals at the shelter are being adopted.  Ask the Foster Coordinators for the typical wait time before committing if the duration is an important factor in your decision to be a foster parent.

How can I help my foster get adopted?

There are two important ways for a foster parent to help find a forever home for a foster animal:  

1. Participating in offsite adoption events is a requirement for being a foster parent. The Offsite Adoption Coordinator will contact you about taking your foster animal to an event. These are held on Saturdays and some Sundays at PetSmart (Cumming), Petco (Cumming and Alpharetta), Rucker Pet & Wild Bird (Bethelview Rd), and Pooch & Paws (Vickery Village). You can choose the location most convenient to you.  This gives the foster animals public exposure which they need to be adopted. Just drop off your foster at the event and if no adoption occurs, pick up him/her again about four hours later).  Always let the Offsite Adoption Coordinator know in advance if you will be attending an event.
2. Equally important is taking cute photos of your foster animal and emailing them to us along with a descriptive bio about the animal's personality and behavior.  The photos and bio are posted to our website (www.forsythpets.org) as well as www.Petfinder.com.  These are important tools for finding a wonderful forever home for your foster.  Most adopters tell us that they first saw their new family member on the Internet.