Frequently Asked Questions

A foster dog is a dog that needs to be cared for until they are adopted. The purpose of a foster home is to care for the foster dog and prepare them to be adopted. Duties include house breaking, leash training, basic obedience, taking the dog to their medical appointments, providing transportation to adoption events, evaluating temperament (with men, women, kids, other dogs, cats), etc. We rely on our foster families to partner with us through the dog's foster journey so we can find the best possible furever home for them. And who knows, maybe that's your home! Our foster families have the first right to adopt their foster dog!

Our dogs are placed based on need, temperament, and your abilities. You can identify preferences in the application process. The more often you foster, the better we can appropriately place the right foster with you.

This can vary. Fosters stay with you until they are adopted. An easy-to-place puppy may only be in your home for a few days. A harder-to-adopt older dog may be with you for several months. We also have a great need for emergency fosters who can only commit to short amounts of time.

HavaHeart Rescue covers the cost of veterinary care. We are usually able to provide a donated collar, leash, and crate. HavaHeart Rescue also provides monthly heartworm treatment and flea/tick preventative. Fosters can access any donated food for their fosters, if necessary, though most foster parents usually provide their own food.

If this happens, please notify HavaHeart Rescue immediately. We will help you overcome the situation, whether it requires additional training or another placement. We take care not to place a dog with you that you are not ready to handle or that does not fit within your family.

We have an amazing community of approved foster homes, many of which love to provide short term respite care while you're away. Simply notify your foster dog's Havaheart Rep with ample advanced notice and they will help secure the care.

Absolutely! Our foster families have the first right to adopt their foster dog before the dog is made available to the public. It's lovingly called "foster failing," and many of our volunteers are victims! Foster failures happen quite often, and we suspect this is one of the reasons foster homes are in short supply. Our policy requires that you complete the appropriate adoption paperwork and pay the standard adoption fee.