Foster families provide temporary care for adults, seniors and the very young. Some animals need as little as a day or two in your home, while others may need care for an extended period of time. If you can only make a short-term commitment – up to 30 days – that will at least get the pet into our care where it will be safe. Because it is Kitten Season there is a dedicated application for cats and kittens. Please fill out a Cat & Kitten Emergency Short Term Foster application and help get a feline out of danger and on its way to a happy life. If you can foster cats or kittens longer than 30 days if needed, please fill out a Cat & Kitten Foster Assignment & Release application. During kitten season we will need fosters for pregnant moms, neonatal babies, and litters of kittens. Neonatal kittens are newborn to 4 weeks of age, and caring for them can be rewarding, but also a 24-hour job.
Dogs and puppies need long and short-term fosters, too. Whether you can foster as long as needed, or you would like to be a short-term canine foster please fill out the Dog & Puppy Foster Assignment & Release application.
Your help as a foster is essential to our success. By offering your time, love, energy and home to an animal in need, you will save their life and prepare them for adoption into a permanent home. Anthem Pets does not have a facility, and we rely solely on foster families to care for animals that enter our system. We are always looking for more foster homes – our demand is growing every day. Fosters, along with Volunteers, are the reason why our rescue has been able to save thousands of pets since 2005. Thank you for helping us save more deserving dogs and cats.
HOW TO CONTACT ANTHEM PETS
Fill out one of the foster applications.
Email: Rescue@AnthemPets.org
Text or Call: (480) 287-3542
Once you apply to be a foster you can join our private Anthem Pets Volunteer & Foster Facebook group where you can see all of our foster needs in real time.
FOSTER FAQ’s
❤️ Will I be driving around a lot?
That really depends. You are responsible for driving your foster to their vet appointments, and to adoption events. If you are fostering a new puppy or kitten, there may be three or four vet visits for shots and then surgery. If you have an older pet, there may be only one vet visit. We highly recommend that you do have access to transportation. If there is an emergency and you must get your foster medical care, you have to be able to transport them.
❤️ What expenses do I pay?
Anthem Pets does its best to provide you with food when you first start fostering with us. Sometimes we don’t have what you need, or we don’t have a volunteer available to get it to you. We can either order it to be delivered to you or you can purchase it and we will reimburse you (usually through PayPal). The costs we pay are for the food, any vet visits and medication, any special needs like medicated shampoos. We have items that have been donated that we can also get to you, like toys, scratching posts, litter boxes, kennels, bowls and misc. other “non-essential” items. The best idea is to communicate with your Anthem Pets contact before purchasing anything other than food or medicine. We have to be very cost conscious at all times and appreciate any items you can provide.
❤️ What if I fall in love and want to keep my foster?
That is the best question ever! The answer is easy. As soon as you have decided to keep the fostered pet, tell your contact at Anthem Pets. You will complete the adoption forms and pay the adoption fee and the pet is now yours. If your foster still needs to be spayed/neutered, that is okay too. We will still complete the vetting process and pay for everything. We pay for the shots, microchip, and surgery even if you adopt before it is completed.
❤️ How long will I have my foster pet?
The short answer is – until they are adopted. We would love our fosters to stay in one home and then go to their forever families. Puppies and kittens usually spend the shortest time in foster care because they are more in demand. Senior pets tend to stay the longest. If you are in a situation where you can only foster for a short time, please be sure to tell us ahead of time.
❤️ Can I foster if I already have pets?
Only you know the answer to that question. If your dog or cat gets along with other animals, then you can try it. If you already know they don’t, then it’s probably a good idea to pass. We can also use emergency fosters. In that case, you can keep a pet for a day or two in a separate room or area while we find a long-term foster. So, if you want to help out, that could be an option for you.
