Question 1

How do I foster a dog for New Orleans Bulldog Rescue?

Accepted Answer

The first step is submitting our online foster/adoption application. After approval, we’ll match you with a dog and provide guidance, supplies, and support. The amount of time between applying and getting a foster dog will vary depending on our upcoming intakes, as well as the foster home's requirements, experience, and preferences.

Question 2

What are the criteria for fostering with NOBR?

Accepted Answer

Foster caregivers are expected to live within a 1-hour drive of the New Orleans area, since we use specific veterinarians and trainers limited to that area. Aside from this, we use the same criteria for fostering as we do for adopting. We will contact the applicant's current/previous pets' veterinarian to ensure that they're spayed or neutered and up-to-date on basic vaccinations and heartworm prevention. If the residence is a rental, we will contact the landlord to ensure that dogs are allowed to live in the home. Finally, we will do a quick home visit.

Question 3

What is expected of foster homes?

Accepted Answer

Foster homes are expected to provide a safe, loving environment, commit to providing NOBR with regular updates, stick to any provided care plans, and a willingness to travel to the New Orleans area for any needed veterinary care or training.

Question 4

How long do dogs usually stay in foster care?

Accepted Answer

The duration of time between foster placement and adoption varies by dog, but the average amount of time is around 3 months. When accepting a new foster dog, we ask foster caregivers to commit to the dog for 3-months, but can accommodate any pre-planned holidays, travel, etc. as needed.

Question 5

How much does it cost to foster a dog?

Accepted Answer

Fostering is FREE to foster caregivers. We will provide food, veterinary care, training services, etc. Many foster homes choose to provide food and treats for their foster dog, and while this is very appreciated, it is definitely not obligated.

Question 6

Can I foster if I already have other pets?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Most foster caregivers already have their own dogs. If you already have a dog or cat, we will take extra steps to ensure that the foster dog placed with you is dog and/or cat friendly, and will help provide structured introductions between foster dogs and resident dogs.

Question 7

Can I select my foster dog?

Accepted Answer

When someone has been approved as a foster home, we will contact them either in a group email or an individual text message about the dogs currently looking for foster homes. The foster home can then tell us if they're available, and if so, which dog sounds like a good match. No foster home is expected to take a foster dog unless they have already agreed to do so.

Regarding breed, we always like to accommodate a foster home's preferences, but we also expect that our foster homes be open to various breeds.

Question 8

What if I get a foster dog who's needs I can't manage?

Accepted Answer

We provide as much information up-front about a foster dog as we can, but inevitably, foster homes will sometimes be the first to see new behavior or medical concerns. In the extremely rare case that a behavior is dangerous to the people in the home, we will immediately remove the dog. If a behavior emerges that could be dangerous to resident pets, we will give guidance on how to separate the animals until we can quickly remove the foster dog. If the behaviors are not dangerous, but frustrating, we will work with the foster home on training and behavior modification, but will ask that the foster home either give the dog more time to adjust, or give us some time to find an alternative foster home.

Question 9

Can I adopt my foster dog?

Accepted Answer

As a matter of policy, NOBR does not guarantee that a foster home will be able to adopt their foster dog. In some cases, this is because the dog’s needs may evolve in ways that are not the best fit for the foster home.

In many cases we're happy to approve the adoption of a foster dog to the foster home. However, we ask that anyone agreeing to foster does so with the primary intention of providing temporary care, rather than entering the relationship with the expectation of adopting.

Question 10

What is the Save Haven program? How can I support the program?

Accepted Answer

Leaving a domestic violence situation is always difficult, but ensuring the safety of a beloved dog can make it even more challenging. NOBR’s Safe Haven program offers short-term fostering for the dogs of those leaving domestic violence situations. To provide this program, NOBR requires that emergency foster homes be available for the quick placement of dogs. If you’d like to support the Safe Haven program as a short-term foster home, please fill-out our online foster/adoption  application and let us know you’re specifically interested in supporting the Safe Haven program.

Fostering with NOBR

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Frequently Asked Foster Questions