Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque Foster FAQS

Let's Talk Fostering 101

HOW LONG WOULD I HAVE TO FOSTER?

Ideally we hope you can foster the dog until it is adopted (average time might be 4-8 weeks). We understand that if you're new to fostering it may be a little scary at first but we would appreciate a 30 day commitment. If your foster dog is adopted in a few days, we may ask that you consider fostering another dog until the 30 day minimum is satisfied. Interested in short term fostering only? We could definitely use your help!

Please make note of your availability when completing the foster form below.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME AS A FOSTER?

As a foster parent, we would ask that you help make the dog it’s “most adoptable-self.”

This might mean working on: house-training, leash-pulling, basic manners, commands, and providing controlled and positive exposure to new surroundings. Please keep in mind, these dogs often come from highly stressful situations and may have been in multiple homes or shelters.

We expect fosters to be patient and understanding, using positive reinforcement only and never excessive force or physical punishment.

We encourage our fosters take lots of pictures and videos of their dog to help us promote them on our social media platforms. Open, consistent, and candid communication from our fosters is vital to successful permanent placement and your foster experience. We may also ask you to meet potential pre-screened adopters at a pre-determined safe and secure location.

DO YOU PROVIDE VETERINARY CARE FOR MY FOSTER?

We are responsible for all necessary veterinary expenses. However, please review our policies listed below.

CAN YOU PROVIDE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES?

We can provide food, leashes, collars/harness, beds, medicine, toys, treats, and crates for our foster pups to borrow (or anything else that is necessary for the safety and care of the foster dog). If you have these supplies on hand, that’s wonderful and greatly appreciated! We ask that all borrowed supplies be returned to Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque when your fostering period is over.

DO I GET TO PICK MY FOSTER DOG?

We do our best to match you with a dog that fits your household, experience, and lifestyle. However, the nature of Rescue and securing a dog can be critically urgent, so your “ideal” foster dog is usually not possible, but another one whose life depends on it may need help more.

We often request emergency foster homes for dogs coming into our rescue, on our Facebook page (the link for Facebook is at the top of this page). Once your foster form is submitted and approved, we will add you to our Foster List. Once on the foster list, keep an eye out for emails: “Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque Foster Needs”.

WHAT IF I WANT TO ADOPT MY FOSTER DOG?

If you fall in love, adoption is a possibility! Foster parents need to go through the same basic steps as any prospective adopter and will need to pay the required adoption fee. If you'd like to consider foster-to-adopt from the get-go, please complete an adoption application.

WHAT IS FOSTER-TO-ADOPT?

Foster-to-Adopt is a great option to determine if this foster dog might be right for you. This provides you with a trial (test drive) in your home environment (determination to be made within 14 days), and allows Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque to save a dog. If you decide it’s not a forever match (unless it’s an emergency), we would ask that you commit to fostering the dog until we can find adopters or more permanent placement. If you change your mind about adopting and no one else has an application on file, you can still get priority to adopt. We kindly request any equipment or supplies furnished by Boxer Rescue be returned, should you choose to adopt.

WHAT IF I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT?

“Yards don't exercise dogs, people do!” Many fosters live in apartments and have discovered that fostering a dog has “forced” them to go outside more, increased their steps/activity, and helped provide a wonderful excuse for adventure! Honestly, a foster dog doesn’t need a huge yard to thrive; he or she is simply happy for a warm bed and a loving person that cares.

WHAT IF I WORK FULL TIME?

No problem! We have lots of fosters who work full time. We'll help you find an adult or senior dog that's a good match. A dog would much rather be alone in your home while you're at work than left in a cold or hot high stress shelter environment.

FOSTERING CAN BE REWARDING BUT CAN ALSO BE QUITE CHALLENGING;
HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL FOSTER TIPS

Fostering is one of the most rewarding volunteer experiences you will be a part of, but expect some speed bumps along the way: a chewed shoe, a few nights of waking up at midnight, potty accidents, and a lot of time and patience, especially in the beginning as your new dog learns the ropes.

The dogs sometimes come from a very stressful shelter stay where they have spent weeks, months or even years. They have had no stability, structure, or a person to call their own for a long time. They will need time to decompress, and adjust; it is the fosters responsibility to provide a caring, patient, positive environment for the dog to return to a calm state of mind.

We strongly recommend keeping the dog’s world small for the first few weeks by keeping environments controlled. This might mean not introducing the animal to new people/dogs outside of the home for awhile. As a foster, you will help your dog become its most adoptable-self (which can include: learning leash manners, master house training, practicing basic commands, acclimatizing with strangers/animals, and more). We rely on you to take pictures, videos, and stay in touch to help promote your dog for adoption. Fostering has the potential to not only change the life of a dog, but change yours as well.

Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque Foster Policies

Veterinary Care: As a donation-based 501c3 rescue, we provide veterinary care for conditions that appear to be serious or life threatening that we deem is ethically necessary. To determine whether treatment is ethically necessary, Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque reserves the right to make all decisions regarding whether a condition is considered life threatening and/or ethically necessary. Foster families who disagree with our decisions always have the option of paying medical expenses themselves. For minor conditions that are not life threatening, we may allow the dog to recover on their own before seeking veterinary care. Please keep in mind that many shelter animals come to us with kennel cough or skin irritations and are already on medication. All dogs will be examined, vaccinated, microchipped, and all dogs over 5 months will be spayed or neutered at the expense of Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque.

Off-Leash: Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque has a strict policy that rescue dogs may not be let off-leash in an unfenced area or taken to dog parks when other dogs are present during the duration of the foster arrangement.

Dog Return: If you feel the need to return your foster dog, Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque will immediately attempt to make arrangements to transfer your dog to a different foster! However, we cannot guarantee that this transfer will take place within a certain time frame – it may take a few days, or possibly a few weeks. If adopters return your foster dog within the first six days, we kindly ask you receive the dog back into your care. However, if you have informed us ahead of time that you must stop fostering on a particular date, we will accommodate that prior request.

Release of Liability: Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque makes every effort to communicate age, health and behavior information about each rescued dog. We often rely on the health and behavior evaluations of the shelter or previous owner before receiving an animal. As a result, we require foster families to release us of all liability resulting from any wrong or incomplete information they may receive about a particular animal. Dogs may also act unpredictably in new environments, new situations, with new people, and when scared or stressed. This is why we suggest the first week or so that you not introduce the animal to new people or new animals in the home. When introducing a dog successfully into your home with other pets, keeping the animals separate in the home, always monitored when together, and going for on-leash pack walks is the best way to integrate animals with one another. Foster families must release Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque of all liability for any injuries or accidents that result from their rescue dog and also accept liability for any incidents that arise out of introductions of rescue animals to third parties. Boxer Rescue of Albuquerque does not require foster families to socialize dogs with people outside of their immediate family, and any decision to do so must be taken solely at the risk of the foster family.