Please choose a version of our application that best works for you.
Foster homes are the soul of our organization. Rehome A Dog is in need of more people willing to open their homes to dogs in need.
Fostering is very rewarding. It gives you the opportunity to save a dog and in many cases brighten the lives of other people. Those who adopt from RAD Rescue are so grateful to our foster people for positively affecting their lives by caring for their new family member prior to adoption. Area shelters are also thankful that dogs who would otherwise be euthanized have a second chance that they the shelter were not equipped or able to provide.
Fostering is fun. Rehome A Dog makes use of the outdoor splendor of our area. Group hikes, afternoons at area lakes, and playtime at the dog park are often times group activities.
Don’t be misled, fostering can also be trying. That being said, our foster people are a tightly knit group of dog lovers who enjoy dog ownership and all its rewards. We support each other and we are all, most concerned, with what is best for our foster-dogs.
Fostering for RAD Rescue
How does Fostering Work?
We will have already asked for a commitment from you about a dog coming into our program. We only ever make arrangements for a dog to enter our program, after we know we have a foster family for them to go to. We then arrange a time for you to pick up the dog or have the dog dropped off at your home. The average time for a dog in foster care can range from 2 weeks to 4 months in some cases. We ask our foster homes to commit to a particular animal until they are placed as it is very difficult (on them and us) to move them into another temporary home.
The dog’s information is made available on our website, and we ask that you bring your foster dog to Adoption Days. We generally schedule two, three-hour, Adoption Day events each month. Our Adoption Days are scheduled for weekend days in Onalaska. People who are interested in adoption can meet the available dogs, fill out an application, and follow our adoption process.
Foster families are asked for input on any potential home. While they do not always have the “final say”, the foster family’s opinion on a potential placement carries a great deal of weight. Foster families are asked to review the application, speak with the potential adopter and then form an opinion on the placement. We value the opinions of our foster parents as they often times know the dog best.
What does RAD expect from its foster homes?
We will provide medical care for the foster dog. We usually have food, a crate, collar and leash to provide for your foster dog as well. We also occasionally have donated toys and treats. Any additional supplies or extras are the foster homes responsibility.
We ask you provide an ID tag with your contact information on it, and we ask that the foster dog wears the tag, while in your care.
We ask that you be able to transport your foster to vet appointments and Adoption Day events, however in rare cases another volunteer can help with this if you are unavailable.
Through the use of straightforward forms and with some coaching, we ask that each foster home keep accurate care and medical records for their foster dog, and complete a foster family assessment on each dog.
What makes a good foster home?
Simply put, good foster people love dogs! Because we have a diverse compliment of people looking to adopt dogs, we need diversity in our foster homes.
We ask that all our foster homes make an effort to acclimate their foster dog into a normal home environment. While we ask that each foster home use a crate as a training tool, we also ask that foster dogs be exposed to a normal home environment as well.
Because we stress to any potential adopter that fun, exercise and activity are important components to good dog ownership; it is also helpful if RAD dogs get to experience these things while in foster care. We want our foster homes to take their dogs on walks and hikes. Often times during the summer, RAD foster dogs can be found swimming in area lakes or playing at the dog park with their foster people. Petco and PetSmart are great places to shop with a foster dog in tow. These types of efforts are what set Rehome A Dog apart from shelters or other foster-based, dog rescues.
Get Started!
Fill out our foster application.
Once you are approved we will meet with you and your family to teach you more about our process and start notifying you of dogs that are in need of help. If there is a dog you are interested in fostering we will work to place them in your home.