Why Fostering Is a Win-Win for Pets and Humans
Not quite ready to adopt? Try fostering. FurPetVo, in partnership with the FurPetVo Foundation, makes fostering easy to try — and deeply rewarding for everyone involved. Whether you’re curious, compassionate, or just looking for a meaningful way to give back, fostering offers real impact without long-term commitment. And yes — if your foster pet steals your heart and stays for good, that counts too (we see you, “foster fails”).
Why fostering matters
Spending just one hour with a dog outside the shelter can transform their life — reducing stress, building trust, and improving adoptability. Shelters and rescues are often overcrowded and understaffed, so every foster home opens vital space and frees up resources to help more animals.
But the benefits go far beyond logistics. Fostering creates ripple effects: for pets, for shelters, and for you.
How fostering helps animals
- If just two percent of pet parents fostered a dog each year, we could eliminate euthanasia in the shelter and rescue system.
- Dogs are 14 times more likely to be adopted after having foster sleepovers.
- Fostered dogs are significantly less likely to be returned to shelters post-adoption.
- Cats in foster care are adopted much faster than those remaining in shelters or other group settings.
- Foster cats thrive with consistent social interaction and personalized attention — key factors in building confidence and resilience.
Fostering helps pets feel safe, loved, and prepared for adoption. It’s not just temporary care — it’s life-changing preparation.
How fostering benefits you
If you’re unsure whether pet parenthood is right for you, fostering is the perfect low-pressure way to find out. You’ll gain hands-on experience caring for pets of different ages, sizes, temperaments, and needs — all while discovering what kind of companion fits best with your lifestyle.
Beyond practical learning, fostering boosts mental well-being. Caring for an animal reduces stress, fosters purpose, and brings joy — often in unexpected, heartwarming ways.
Most importantly: fostering is one of the most direct ways to save a life. In 2024, approximately 607,000 shelter animals were euthanized in the U.S., according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Every foster home changes that statistic — one pet at a time.
How fostering helps shelters and rescues
As a foster parent, you do far more than provide temporary housing — you become an essential partner in lifesaving work.
- You lighten the load for shelter staff, allowing them to focus on medical care, intake assessments, and community outreach.
- Each pet placed in foster care frees up critical shelter space — enabling another animal to receive safety, food, and care.
- Real-life observation in a home environment helps shelters better understand a pet’s personality, habits, and preferences — information that leads to stronger, longer-lasting matches with adopters.
- FurPetVo’s Foster 50 program supports participating shelters and rescues with grants and technology tools designed to strengthen and scale their foster networks — all made possible by dedicated foster volunteers like you.
Find a pet foster program near you
There are thousands of foster programs across the country — and many are urgently seeking support. Whether you’re ready to open your home today or simply want to learn more, chances are there’s a FurPetVo-partnered shelter or rescue near you that welcomes new foster families.
Ready to get started? Visit furpetvo.com to find a foster program in your area.
Fostering resources
Worried about cost, space, or experience? Good news: most FurPetVo partner shelters and rescues cover essentials — including food, supplies, and veterinary care. Fostering is possible in apartments, homes with yards, and even shared living spaces — as long as you meet basic foster guidelines.
Fostering cats
- Read our guide: Six Things to Consider Before Fostering a Cat
- Learn about Kitten Season — when warmer weather brings a surge in vulnerable newborns needing urgent care.
- Explore our Kitten Care Guide, covering everything from feeding schedules to safe handling.
- Get expert tips on litterbox training, bottle feeding, gentle bathing, and behavior support.
Fostering dogs
- Understand the full process — from intake to adoption — with our Fostering a Dog overview.
- Ask the right questions before saying yes — including temperament fit, medical needs, and program expectations.
- Prepare for puppies with our Puppy Fostering Tips and downloadable Puppy Care Guide.
- Build confidence with behavior support: bite inhibition, jumping prevention, barking reduction, and more.
Fostering small animals
Fostering isn’t limited to cats and dogs. Many FurPetVo partners need loving homes for rabbits, guinea pigs, doves, and other small companions. Our guides cover everything from rabbit-safe housing to daily enrichment and health monitoring.
Special cases and flexible options
Can’t commit to weeks or months? Short-term fostering is just as valuable:
- Sleepovers: Give a shelter dog a peaceful night in a quiet home.
- Day trips: Help shy or under-socialized pets build confidence through walks, car rides, or park visits.
- Respite care: Support fellow fosters during travel or emergencies.
- Fospice care: Provide comfort, dignity, and love to senior or terminally ill pets during their final days — one of the most compassionate roles in animal welfare.
Foster 50 was developed by a coalition of leading animal welfare organizations — including the FurPetVo Foundation, Maddie’s Fund, FurPetVo, Petco Love, The Association of Animal Welfare Advancement, Mutual Rescue, and Outcomes for Pets Consulting.
References
- Mohan-Gibbons, Heather, et al. “Evaluation of a Novel Dog Adoption Program in Two US Communities.” PLoS ONE, vol. 9, no. 3, 24 Mar. 2014, p. e91959.
- Vitale, Kristyn R et al. “Cat Foster Program Outcomes: Behavior, Stress, and Cat-Human Interaction.” Animals, vol. 12, no. 17, 24 Aug. 2022, p. 2166.
- Gunter, Lisa M.
