Some of the best teammates never get a chance to show what they’re made of.
But foster families change that.
By opening their home temporarily, foster pet parents give shelter pets a safer, calmer place to decompress, heal, and show their true personalities, dramatically improving their chances of adoption.
Fostering doesn’t require a huge home, years of experience, or a perfect setup. It requires some preparation, a little patience, and a willingness to give a pet in need a soft landing. Here’s everything you need to know to do it well.
Before You Bring a Foster Pet Home
You’ll need a game plan before the foster pet ever walks through your door. A little preparation up front makes the whole experience smoother for everyone—you, your current pets, if you have them, and your new foster.
Check your current pets’ vaccination status. Before bringing a foster animal into your home, make sure your pets are up to date on their vaccinations. This protects both your resident pets and the foster, who may come from an environment with higher illness exposure. If you’re not sure, a quick call to your veterinarian before you commit to fostering is a good first step.
Know how your current pets do with other animals. Be honest with yourself (and with the shelter) about your resident pets’ comfort level around other animals. A dog who is reactive with other dogs or a cat who is territorial needs to be factored into which foster pet is the right fit. Most shelters will work with you to find a compatible match if you share this information upfront.
Make sure your current pets are spayed or neutered. This is a common requirement for foster families. If your pets aren’t already altered, talk to your shelter contact about their specific policies and timeline.
Ask the shelter a lot of questions. Before the foster pet comes home, get as much information as you can. What’s the animal’s personality? Do they have any known medical needs, or are they currently on any medications? What dietary needs do they have, and what have they been eating? Are they house-trained or litter-trained? Have they shown any behavioral concerns? How do they do with other pets, with children, with strangers? The more you know going in, the less likely you are to hit an unexpected wall, and the better equipped you’ll be to give the pet exactly what they need.
Setting Up Your Home to Be a Foster Pet Parent
Before your foster arrives, get their space ready. Having everything in place before they walk through the door reduces stress for the pet and gives you one less thing to scramble for in those first hours.
Check with your shelter first. Some programs provide food, a crate or kennel, and basic supplies as part of fostering. What you’ll typically want to have on hand are:
- Food and water bowls
- A bed or soft resting surface
- Litter box and litter (for cats)
- A leash and collar with a temporary ID tag (for dogs)
- High-value treats for positive reinforcement
- Comfort items, like a blanket
If the shelter isn’t providing food, ask what the pet has been eating so you can continue that same diet. A sudden food change on top of the stress of a new environment is harder on their system than it needs to be. If a transition to a new food is needed, do it gradually over 7–12 days.
Give the foster pet their own space, whether it’s a crate in the corner of the living room, a spare bedroom, or a bathroom. Having a dedicated spot that belongs to them helps a foster pet feel more secure. It gives them somewhere to retreat when they’re overwhelmed, and a consistent anchor in an unfamiliar place.
Treat fosters like a flight risk and double leash when needed. Many foster pets aren't yet bonded to you, so their instinct in a startling or unfamiliar situation may be to bolt. For dogs especially, use two points of security when outside—a collar and a harness, each with their own leash—until you have a clear read on their behavior and comfort level outdoors. Always make sure they’re wearing visible ID tags and that they’re microchipped (your shelter can confirm this).
Introducing Your Foster Pet to Current Pets
Introductions set the tone for the entire foster experience. Rushing them creates tension that can take much longer to undo than a slow, structured approach would have required.
When introducing foster dogs:
Introduce in a neutral space. The first meeting between your resident dog and a foster dog should happen outside your home, such as on a walk, in a park, or in any space that neither dog considers their territory. Keep both dogs on leash and allow brief, calm sniffs before moving on. Watch body language closely. Loose, wiggly body language is a good sign. Stiff posture, hard staring, or raised hackles means they need more time and distance. Bring both dogs inside together only after a calm outdoor meeting, and continue to supervise them closely in those early hours.
When introducing foster cats:
Keep them separated from your resident pets for the first 24 hours. When a foster cat comes home, their first 24 hours should be spent in a room of their own, with no face-to-face interactions with resident pets yet. This gives them time to start getting their bearings without the added pressure of another animal. After that initial period, allow them to smell each other under the door before any visual contact. Next, do supervised nose-to-nose introductions through a cracked door or baby gate, followed by brief, monitored time in the same space. Full access is the last step, and only after multiple calm, positive interactions.
Settling In
The first few days are the most disorienting for a foster animal. Your job in this phase is less about training and more about creating the conditions for them to start relaxing.
For dogs: Keep the environment as calm and predictable as possible. If your foster dog has some basic training, reinforce it with positive, reward-based practice. If they don’t, short, simple sessions with high-value treats (like our Freeze Dried Raw recipes) help build trust and start establishing communication. Dogs can sense stress in the humans around them, so staying calm and moving at a relaxed pace makes a real difference in how quickly they settle.
For cats: Keep your foster cat in their designated room for the first several days. This manageable space helps them feel more secure. Make sure they have food, water, and a litter box in that space, all separate from any resident cats’ resources. Spend time with them in the room without pressure and let them come to you.
Helping Your Foster Pet Get Adopted
One of the most impactful things a foster family does is help the shelter find this pet a permanent home. You’re in a unique position because you know this pet in a home environment in a way the shelter simply can’t. If you want to go above and beyond for your foster pet, there are ways to boost their chances of getting adopted, and the steps below are a great place to start.
Share what you’re learning. Update the shelter regularly with observations about the animal’s personality, quirks, and behavior. Is the dog great on leash? Does the cat love being held? Does the dog do better with no other dogs around? These details help the shelter match the pet with the right adopter.
Take photos and videos. Candid, high-quality photos and short videos of the foster pet being themselves are incredibly powerful for adoption marketing. Share them with the shelter for their social media and adoption listings, or ask if you can post them yourself to help spread the word.
Write a foster bio. Some shelters will ask you to write a short description of the pet from your experience. Be honest and as specific as possible about who you feel would be the best match.
Talk about them. Word of mouth still works. Tell your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers. Share on your own social media. The right adopter is often someone who wasn’t actively looking until they saw the right face.
Ready to Foster a Pet?
If you’ve made it this far and you’re feeling ready, here’s how to take the first step.
- Contact your local shelter or rescue organization. If you’re not sure which one, Petfinder and your local Humane Society are good starting points for finding active foster programs in your area.
- Fill out a foster application. Most applications ask about your living situation, experience with animals, and any pets you currently have. Be thorough and honest so they can place the best possible fit in your home.
- Bring your foster home and give them everything they need: a safe space, a steady routine, and all the patience you’ve got.
Fostering isn’t always easy, but it’s one of the most tangible ways to make a real difference in a pet’s life. And the shelter pet who lands in your home for a few weeks? They’ll likely leave a mark on yours long after they’ve found their forever family.
