A temporary home can be the lifeline an animal needs.
Fosters play a significant role in moving animals into permanent homes. Fostering offers immediate shelter and care during times of upheaval, and for many people it satisfies the desire for companionship without a forever commitment.
Our foster volunteers let us rescue cats, dogs, and small pets we would otherwise have to turn away for lack of space. Most of our adoptable cats and all of our adoptable dogs live in foster homes, not at the Adoption Center.
Below is exactly what we look for in a foster home and what happens after you apply. It comes straight from our foster handbook, and we are putting it here so you know where you stand before you fill anything out.
Every animal is different and we match each one to a home that fits it. These are the things we look at on every application.
You will never pay for any of it. Food and litter come from us, we lend the gear, and every dollar of medical care is ours. Pick up supplies at the Adoption Center during office hours, no appointment needed.
A home that is not right for one animal is often perfect for another. Here is what each kind of foster actually asks of you. Each one has its own application.
One room with a door, two weeks of quarantine, then a slow introduction. Monthly updates and photos. The quietest way to start and the easiest to fit into a small home.
Cat foster applicationWeekly updates, vaccines around 5, 8 to 9, and 13 to 14 weeks, and no mingling with your pets until those 8 to 9 week shots. Expect mess and a lot of play.
Cat foster applicationFeedings every two hours and daily weigh-ins. This one is about your schedule, not your square footage. Neonatal fostering has its own handbook and the coordinators will train you.
Cat foster applicationRoom for a crate and a bed, and separation from your own dog for the first two weeks. All of our dogs live in foster homes, so a dog foster is the difference between yes and no on a dog.
Dog foster applicationSpace for a cage or hutch in a room your cat or dog cannot get into. Rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, and birds all come through LAWS and each has its own foster application.
Small pet applicationsFostering a puppy you intend to adopt, for puppies too young to be spayed or neutered. Albany County residents only, with a deposit that goes toward the adoption fee.
Foster to ForeverNone of these a fit? Barn and working cats live outdoors in a warm structure and have their own program and application.
Fostering saves a life and makes room for more rescues.
Animals who struggle in a shelter find calm and support in a foster home.
Foster homes provide nursing and bottle-feeding for the youngest animals.
Some animals need a calm place to heal before finding a forever home.
Weeks or months of your care can be the lifeline they need.
Be a hero in their story. Start your fostering journey today.
There is a separate application for dogs, cats, rabbits, small mammals, birds, and exotics, plus Foster to Forever. Pick the type of animal you want to foster and use that one.
Contact details first, then about twenty questions for dogs, eighteen for cats, and five for small pets. We ask for your vet's name and whether your own pets are current on their vaccines, so have that handy.
We are volunteer run and applications are reviewed carefully rather than first come first served, so this can take several weeks. Please give us at least a week before checking in.
We may call your vet and your references, and we may have questions about your space, your own pets, and your schedule.
We wait until we have an animal that suits your home rather than sending the first one available. You can say no to any animal we offer. Applying does not commit you to anything.
Collect your foster and your supplies at the Adoption Center during our open hours, no appointment needed. Food, litter, and any gear you need on loan, plus a direct line to the foster coordinators.
Regular updates and photos from you, and every vet bill from us. Going out of town? Tell the coordinators early and other fosters can cover visits or take your animal in.
We do turn down foster applications, and we know that is confusing when you keep seeing us ask for foster homes. So here is the honest version.
Almost always it is about the match rather than about you. The animals in our care at that moment may need more room, a home with no other pets, or someone who is around during the day. Sometimes an application does not meet one of the requirements above, and now you can read those before you apply rather than after.
A no today is not a no forever. Our animals change every week and so do people's circumstances. If something about your home changes, apply again. If you think we misread your application, tell us and we will look again.
And if fostering is not the right fit right now, there is plenty else that helps: volunteering, the Community Pet Pantry, or a gift toward the animals in care today.
What is expected of me? Love and patience, time to play and socialize, a safe space, meals and medications, watching for illness and getting care when it is needed, and regular updates with photos.
What does LAWS provide? Food and litter, kennels, pens, carriers, litter boxes, scoops, bowls, toys, and grooming gear on loan, and all medical care.
How much time does it take? It depends on the animal, from feedings every two hours for a bottle baby to socializing a shy adult cat. We match you to your availability.
Can I foster if I have my own pets? Yes, as long as they are fully vaccinated and you can keep your foster separate for the first two weeks. Go slowly on introductions. A bad first meeting is hard to undo.
How long will I have the animal? Plan on a couple of months at least. Kittens go up for adoption once they are fixed, microchipped, and current on vaccines for their age, usually between 8 and 11 weeks, but adults can take longer to place, and some fosters are long term, up to a year. We keep checking in the whole way, and if you have a hard end date, tell the coordinators and we will plan around it.
Can I adopt my foster? Yes, and it happens often. Everyone applies through the website, fosters included, and adoption applications are first come first served once approved. Fosters do not get a reserved spot, so tell the coordinators early if you are thinking about it.
What if I go out of town? Contact the foster coordinators early. Other fosters can cover visits or take your animal in.
What if it is not working out? Tell us. A placement that is not working helps nobody, least of all the animal. There is no penalty, and it will not affect your ability to foster with us again.
Fostering a cat or kitten? The full Cat Foster Handbook covers daily care, health warning signs, litter rules, and introductions in detail.
Read the list above, pick the type of animal that fits your home, and send it in. We will take it from there.
Questions first? Call 307-460-3775 or use our contact page.
