Animal Foster Carer
Becoming a foster carer is an extremely rewarding challenge and a good option if you want to spend time with animals without the permanent commitment.
The Foster Circle is a dedicated group of volunteers offering temporary love and accommodation for dogs and cats in their homes for periods of up to six months. This service is offered for a number of reasons:
Dogs unable to cope in the kennels
Many of the dogs who come to Wood Green have never experienced a kennel environment before, and some can find the whole experience very stressful. When a dog is very stressed it can be difficult to assess its true personality and determine the kind of home it is looking for, so in these circumstances we seek temporary foster care for the animal. This way we can assess them in a home environment, and try to reduce the length of time spent looking for a new home.
Anyone fostering a dog for this purpose would need to be prepared to bring them to Wood Green to visit prospective new owners often at short notice, so it is ideal that they do not live too far from our Godmanchester Rehoming Centre.
Victims of domestic violence
As part of The Links Group, Wood Green, along with RSPCA Pet Retreat and The Dogs Trust Hope Project, offers pet fostering services specifically for pets belonging to families fleeing domestic violence.
Individuals requiring urgent hospitalisation
The Foster Circle offers temporary love and accommodation to dogs, when their owners need to go into hospital and have no family able to care for their pets.
Doggy and moggy midwives
We also use our dedicated Foster Carers to help us look after the number of pregnant cats and dogs that arrive at our Centres every year.
Characteristics of a Foster Carer include:
- Animal lover
- Patient
- Understanding and empathetic
- Dedicated
- Extraordinary!
Message from a family we have helped
"My family was recently put in a situation where we had to leave our family home but couldn’t take our family dog with us. It was heartbreaking, we had our dog seven years and didn’t want to lose her. Wood Green, The Animals Charity really helped our family. They fostered our dog with a family for a short time while I sorted out a permanent home for us all. They took very good care of her and gave me regular updates on how our dog was. It was one worry off my mind knowing my dog was being cared for. I would recommend Wood Green to any family who needed help with the animals, they are very helpful and caring animal people."
Message from one of our fosterers
Nanette Barnard has been fostering for Wood Green since January 2009.
Nanette has fostered a Lurcher with three legs because of domestic violence at his home, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and a Jack Russell whose 92-year-old owner was suffering from dementia and could no longer care for her pet.
She said: “My husband and I lost one of our dogs a little while ago and as we are pensioners we didn’t want to commit to another dog long term. So it was great when I discovered the opportunity of becoming a fosterer for Wood Green.
“Five dogs later and I haven’t looked back. I have fostered the biggest Greyhound I have ever seen to the tiniest Jack Russell, which I still have now.
“I was worried at first that I would get too attached and to some extent I do, but the satisfaction of giving a dog love, comfort and stability outweighs anything else.
“Many people also don’t realise that Wood Green provide everything from food and bedding to veterinary treatment. They are also on the end of the phone whenever you need anything so you just need a heart and a home.”
Want to become a foster carer?
If you think you have what it takes to become a foster carer and you would like to find out more, please complete the online enquiry form or contact our Fostering Coordinator on 0844 248 8181.