Fostering and volunteering
Fostering is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a volunteer.
You are taking a precious little life and giving it a second chance. Some animals may need a few weeks to recover from spay/neuter surgery, or a place to hang out while they are awaiting transport to another part of the country.
Puppies and kittens are usually fostered until adopted and the time can vary depending on the age of the babies when they go into foster care, But it is normally 6-8 weeks.
Dogs that are undergoing Heartworm treatment need a quiet place to chill out and rest during treatment time. They are crated for large portions of the treatment so are easy to manage for a first-time foster.
Some dogs and cats need a home until they find their forever home, a place where they can learn some basics like housetraining, what it is like to have a family and simple manners that will make them more adoptable.
A foster can be young or old, live in an apartment or a home with a yard, have children and/or other pets, work outside the home or be a stay-at-home mom or remote worker. You can be single or have a partner, you can foster temporarily or be a hospice foster. The main requirement is to give your foster LOVE.
As a foster, you will be the bridge from the street life to the sweet life for a lucky animal. Many of our fosters love seeing the results of their love and care and have fostered hundreds of animals for SAVE. It is a truly rewarding way to help.
The following are general qualifications to become a foster home.
You must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the Greater Houston Metro Area.
You should have access to a computer or smartphone and have internet service available
If you currently have pets, you will be asked to show proof that your animals are current on all vaccines and spayed or neutered. This is for the protection of your animals as well as the foster animal.
If you choose to foster puppies or kittens, you should have a quiet room or area that is out of the way of family traffic for the babies to rest. A place that is easy to clean like a utility room or half bath would be ideal.
If you have a yard where a dog will be allowed to exercise, the fencing must be in good repair with no holes or broken gates where a dog could escape.
While the rescue group will cover veterinary costs, if an animal becomes ill while you are caring for it, you would need to be able to transport the animal to the vet clinic if needed.
If you are renting your current residence, landlord approval would be required before you could take a foster animal.
Fill out a foster application today, and we’ll match you with a homeless pet who needs you very much!
Unable to foster, but want to help?
Volunteering with SAVE can be done from your home or you can volunteer at our adoption events or clinic. We always need people with computer skills to enter critical data necessary for our rescue and clinic. Animals need rides to and from vet visits, foster homes and transport partners.
We are also looking for people to help with social media, photography, videography, and public relations. If you love talking to people, you can host adoption events or help with fundraising. Whatever your interest or skill we can likely put you to work helping animals find forever homes.