For those of you out there with leadership roles in lab rescues... how do you go about finding more foster homes? Our rescue is hitting record numbers of intakes (and potential intakes) and unfortunately don't have nearly enough foster homes to meet the need.

We do have some people who contact us looking to adopt who end up fostering for us, but those people are few and far in between. How do you market your rescue to find more foster homes?

We also have the issue of people agreeing to foster and then "foster failing" and adopting their very first. I believe we'll be implementing a new rule (new fosters must foster at least three dogs before adopting from us) soon, which should help. Do other rescues have similar rules for fosters before adoption?

Also, for those of you living in Arizona who are interested in fostering (or any sort of volunteering with lab rescue, for that matter), please please please contact me! We'd love to have you!

I don't know, but I'd suggest putting fliers in veterinary offices and at the dog park (if you can). Also, be present and 'recruiting' at any local dog events.

I believe we'll be implementing a new rule (new fosters must foster at least three dogs before adopting from us) soon, which should help. Do other rescues have similar rules for fosters before adoption?
I have seen that rule before at other rescues and it caused me to decide not to apply to foster for them. I don't like such arbitrary rules. If I fall head over heels for a dog and know that it is the perfect dog for my family, I'd be crushed if I couldn't adopt it.

The reason we're thinking of re-implementing the "three fosters before you can adopt" rule is because all four of the last four new foster homes have adopted their very first foster dog... and then chose not to continue to foster with us. VERY frustrating given the amount of time and energy we put into training our new foster homes.

I do understand the frustration of finding the perfect dog and then not being allowed to adopt the dog due to some "arbitrary" rule... but in my experience, there is no such thing as one dog that is perfect for a family. I've fostered sixteen labs in the past year and a half, and of them, about seven have been incredibly wonderful dogs that my husband and I agree could have easily been a "perfect" dog for our family. What we've found is that, given enough time, another "perfect" dog will eventually come around.

Thanks for the tip about putting up flyers at local veterinary offices. I know that some of our volunteers have done so with their own vets, and we have flyers up at the office of the vets that we use for rescue dogs, but it would be great if ALL local veterinary offices had our flyer posted.

The reason we're thinking of re-implementing the "three fosters before you can adopt" rule is because all four of the last four new foster homes have adopted their very first foster dog... and then chose not to continue to foster with us. VERY frustrating given the amount of time and energy we put into training our new foster homes.

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I foster for Greyhound Welfare. They are very active in going to open houses at pet stores mostly Petsmart and Petco. We have between 3-4 a weekend every weekend. We get fosters from the open houses. We also have the 3 foster rule. As fosters, we are required to attend 2 open houses a month. We seem to have a high adoption rate probably because of all the exposure that our dogs get. The average time in foster care is 2-4 weeks. All dogs are not shown until after 1 full week in foster care so that we can evaluate them. You also might consider running ads in the newspaper or craigslist.

I am far from a leadership role in rescue...just a foster mom! But I do know I would never foster for a rescue that had the 3-dog rule. Yes, I am looking for a second dog. I've had more than 3 fosters, so that is not necessarily why I say this, but my perfect dog could have been #1 or it may be #50. Why would I limit my options? The rescue may expend money and effort with me, but I expend 24 hours a day, food (at my choice), love, tears and occasionally blood!

Four fosters failed but four dogs were adopted. For the rescue, that is not a bad outcome. I would presume your rescue is like the one I foster for...I will pay the same fees as any other adopter. Foster families are not employees or staff. They are giving too.

I looked at your website and one suggestion I would make is that you place a more prominent link asking for fosters in the upper left hand corner. To find the link requesting fosters you have to travel down 2/3 of the page. Just my opinion.

I wish I could help, but honestly, the rescue I volunteer with has the same problem. There are never enough foster homes. Most of ours are people who have adopted from us in the past and want to give back. We occasionally get some interest from people that see us at adoption events (we do them every Saturday at a local PetCo). Not to beat you up on the 3-foster rule, but I agree with the others on that. I know it's frustrating to lose a foster home because they adopted, but don't you remember how hard it was to give up your first? I nearly kept my first foster. It broke my heart when he left. But those that adopt their first still gave a dog in need a home, so no one really loses. There have been 4 dogs I've fostered that I have seriously considered adopting. My first was one of them and if any of the other 4 had been my 2nd or 3rd and I knew adopting them wasn't an option because of some rule, I wouldn't have been happy and I might not have fostered in the first place. Just something to think about, although I do understand the reason for considering it.

Hi, I live in illinois and have fostering for our County Animal Control for about seven years, we are fortunate to have a great one. Recently I have been wanting to do more for the puppies in the high kill shelter. I only do puppies and kittens. Had a bad situation with a foster dog so until my daughter is much older (9 currently) I stay with pups.

Anyway, I must have filled out, met with, spoken with a dozen rescues in the past few months. Been told, they have no one willing to foster pups and they were thrilled to have me, but they wanted to use me for pup rescue emergencies...that was a month ago...HELLO. Then I was told by another group the best thing was outside adoptions, little scary. Then another group told me it was great since they had no one taking puppies in right now. I was then approved contingent upon a home visit, that was almost a month ago. Some have vets that are an hour one way. I gave them several vet recommendations out my way that work with rescues, but no chance of that. Some want monthly meetings attended, events attended, etc. Look I just want to save some poor souls not attend meetings.

So here I am with a large cedar fenced in yard, I'm home all day, experienced with fostering and foster babies, a 5,000 square foot home, I already have two great dogs, large breed, one 5 yr-mixed, the other a 2 yr-black lab...both moms gave birth in the house. Both adopted through the County. I did get a rescue to rescue some pups from KY. I drove 8 hours round trip picked up 16 puppes, overnighted them, quarenteed them and fostered 12, but I was consistantly being reminded in suttle ways that this was my idea. I even wound up paying for some of the meds because the rescue made me feel guilty about the rescue from KY, high rate of viruses and what not. Then of my 12 I found three great adoptive families that the rescue got $350.00 for and the remaining were all adopted within two days. I checked on them.

I offered to foster, help transport, even sit Saturdays at the local petco, who are begging me to bring puppies. I even offered to pay the pull fees from four urgent pups...three rescued and one was not. I was ******. What is the problem. There are puppies dying at these high kill shelters
and I can't seem to get anyone to to pull them. An attorney told me it could take 12 months to get a 501c3 status after incorporating.

Someone help me to help them. I am easy to work with, I'm not needy, but I do beg alot. Anyone have suggestions. Things are desperate out there.

luvmypets, I think it's great that you have the means and desire to help! But think about this from a rescue's perspective. Yes, the purpose of a rescue is to save dogs in need. The flip side of that is finding good homes for them. Times are tough out there right now, people are losing their jobs and their homes. Adoptions are down. The rescue I volunteer for has more dogs coming in than going out. We're busting at the seams! So while 16 puppies may be in desperate need of saving, we wouldn't have anywhere to put them nor do we have the applications coming in to enable us to find them all homes. I do think that rescues in need of fosters should be a little more on the ball when someone offers. If you require a home visit, go do it! Don't make the people wait a month or more, that's just silly. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about that. Maybe call them and ask when they might be able to send someone over? I'm sorry you're having such a difficult time with rescues, but you're still doing a great thing fostering for your local AC!