Kindred Spirits Ranch - Fostering Information Guide

Fostering saves two lives; the one fostered and the one saved in its’ place!

Did you know that fostering saves more lives than adoption? It allows an animal in danger of euthanasia to be pulled/saved immediately and then makes room to save another from the kill shelter. While fostering a rescue dog is not a paid endeavor, it is one of the most rewarding things a person can do.

Following are answers to frequent questions and describes the typical process and opinions of Kindred Spirits Ranch, in partnership with Rock on Rescue, Inc. This pertains mostly to dogs – although we do recruit fosters for horses, cats and other animals. Our success rate certainly speaks for itself, but we are happy to supply contact information of other fosters (and adopters) for referrals and testimonials. In addition, you can ALWAYS contact Lori Shea 603.998.9022 anytime! And if you can’t foster, you can still make a difference by donating; time, money or even sharing information on your social media posts. 

“What is a foster?”

To foster a dog means to provide a temporary home for a dog in need, offering shelter and care until they are adopted. This involves helping the dog learn routines, build trust, and transition into a loving 

environment.Fostering is crucial as it relieves overcrowding in shelters and significantly increases the dog's chances of finding a permanent home.

Because there are often more adoptable dogs than space to house them, dog fosters are invaluable. Fosters allow rescue organizations to work beyond the capacity of their buildings. They also give prospective pet parents a chance to try out dog ownership. And, most importantly, they allow dogs to spend time in a cozier, less stressful environment as they transition from the streets to their forever home. A foster environment is often the first time dogs can relax and really let their personality shine, helping them be adopted much more quickly than in a kennel.

If this sounds like something you might like to pursue, keep reading. If not, perhaps you'd like to visit our 'Get Involved' page to see other opportunities to help support our work.

“I would love to foster but I just couldn’t bear to give them up – I would just want to keep them all!”

If someone truly loves and wants to help animals, this thinking needs to be reframed. Not every foster parent/home is the best match for every fostered animal. And if foster parents fill their homes with adoptions (affectionately known as “foster fails”), it typically means they are not able to foster in the future, therefore breaking that lifeline chain. Yes, it can be hard letting them go. But knowing they are going to be loved and will make a difference in that adopter’s life makes it all worth it!  We just need to put our own wants aside so we can help more animals.  😊 

“Do I get to choose which dog I would like to foster?”

There are SO many dogs - all ages, breeds, gender, sizes, etc., that need foster and forever homes. If a potential foster has a specific type of dog they would prefer or if they have "musts," like must be good with cats, dogs, kids, people, good on leash, housebroken etc. there is usually a shelter dog with these characteristics waiting to be saved.  We are always happy to provide any helpful information; photos, videos, as well as testimonials from the shelter the dog is at. 

Puppies vs. Older Dogs: This is a personal choice depending on a person’s experience, activity level, desire for more or less training, etc,.  Puppies are great but because they can be a lot of work, sometimes an older dog is preferable. And in a case of no preference, the dog most in danger of euthanization is sent to us to rehome. People ask if a dog’s age influences its probability and/or timeframe for adoption; specifically if older dogs can be harder to place. Interestingly, sometimes older dogs can be easier because they may already have some training, etc. It really goes both ways. 

Potential fosters can find dogs to foster by either contacting Lori directly (603.998.9022 or lshea@ksrnh.org), following her Facebook posts, checking the KSR website, and/or also checking (1) Facebook for other dogs needing a foster/home. 

So you’ve decided to foster and you have chosen who you would like to foster.  What’s next?

Very Important:  If there are ANY issues or concerns with a foster (or adoption) and the dog cannot remain in that home, KSR is to be immediately contacted and then will take the dog. No exceptions. It is important for the dog’s well-being that we know where the dog is at all times and are kept apprised of any concerns. No questions asked, no judgement, we just take them back. 

Preparing for your Foster Dog

Just like awaiting any new member to your household, preparation is key! We strongly recommend having a wire dog crate on hand and set up. Some people think crating can be unkind. In our experiences, it is quite the opposite. Even if the dog whines or cries sometimes (especially at first), it is important to supply the dog a space of their own. Crating also helps with housebreaking training. The dog typically will not go to the bathroom in their space, so they learn that if/when they whine or otherwise communicate to you they would like to be let out, they are let out of their crate and brought immediately outside to use the bathroom. We have dog crates of all sizes to loan to fosters (and adopters) for this reason. Food/water dishes, and collar and leash or harness are also needed.  Again, we have all these items to loan or give to make fostering a bit easier and not a costly burden.

Many people ask what they should feed their foster. Most of these dogs have not been on one consistent food brand, due to being a stray, time in the shelter, etc. Unless there are specific diet requirements, typically most dog foods are fine to feed. Some people only feed dry food, while others like to add wet food.  That is a personal choice, again, unless there are special circumstances. Most times, the foster donates the food for the foster dog.  If this is a hardship, the rescue can help get donations from our wonderful, animal-supporting community.

Arrival

Transport typically comes up each Sunday. The transport comes to Seabrook Welcome Center off I95 usually about noontime. Typically, a foster is the one who picks the dog up from transport, but we do that if/when they cannot. It does make a surprisingly big difference for the person who is going to foster (or adopt if that's the case) to pick up the dog from transport because there is an instant bond/trust when they come off the crazy of transport and is greeted with a loving, safe person. These dogs are very resilient, so it is not essential for the foster to be the one to pick up.  At the same time, it is so awesome to take them off that transport!

If you do meet the transport, it’s important to bring;  water and a water dish, a collar and leash, and some treats for the dog. The dog typically is thirsty, appreciates a snack/bite to eat, and will have to use the bathroom.  While it is a personal preference whether the dog rides home loose in the car or in a crate, we encourage the dog is allowed to ride loose. Having just travelled 24 hours in a crate, the dog typically lies down and naps once he/she feels comfortable.

At Home

Typically it takes approximately a week for a dog to settle into his/her new surroundings. Potty accidents can happen and are even expected. Give the dog some grace during this time as they learn the rules of the house. Some dogs have never even been in a house. You might also find the dog does not know how to maneuver stairs, snow or other situations because they have not been exposed to them.  Overall, treat the foster just like you would your own dog - bring them with you wherever you go if you can, and expect the same from the foster as you would your dog.

If the need for a vet arises, the foster immediately calls KSR and then we decide if a veterinarian is needed. If a vet visit is needed, the foster either donates that cost or, again, the rescue takes care of it.

We are happy to elaborate on any of these or other aspects of fostering, training, etc..  We will routinely check in with the foster, making sure all parties are doing ok, answer questions, offer training tips and more. We are blessed to have an indoor riding arena at the Farm which is a fantastic tool to play, socialize or train your foster dog. If you desire, we simply set up a time and then have fun.  

Finding a Home: 

We begin to find a forever home the minute we know the dog is coming to NH, mostly by social media posts and word of mouth. Once the dog is in NH, it's helpful if fosters can supply KSR with updates, pictures, videos, - anything for us to add to a post/spreading the word. It is also helpful for fosters to post if/when they can and just spread the word and if/when possible, getting the dog out to the public is great too!  We have an "adopt me" jacket that some fosters use also when they go in public.

There’s no exact timeline on how long it takes for a dog to find their forever home. There have been times when a dog is adopted the same day they arrive from transport, and some that are in a foster home for a month or more. This can depend on the promotion of the dog before he/she arrives in NH, as well as lots of social media posts and word of mouth. KSR takes as much time as needed to find the right match between the dog and the new home. If a foster dog takes a while to find a home, typically no fault of theirs, and the foster home can no longer host the dog, the dog comes back to KSR – no questions, no problem. 

Once a potential forever home is found, the foster parent immediately contacts KSR.  We then contact the potential adopter to interview, confirm the match is right, and proceed with adoption logistics from there. The foster home is not responsible for any of these duties (interview, payment, delivery of dog, etc). 

The typical adoption fee for the GA dogs is $350 which includes the spay/neuter, vaccs and even the transport up here. This is nearly unbelievable because adoption fees in New England typically average $600-800.  Again, if for some reason it is taking longer to find a home than works for the foster, the dog just comes back to KSR. 

Thank you for being a bridge from homelessness & despair to a new loving life for these deserving animals!