FOSTER / TRANSPORT

We always need loving temporary (2-6 weeks) homes for needy dogs and cats...especially during Spring "kitten season".  

While in your care, HHS will schedule full vetting services - shots, deworming, spay/neuter if age-appropriate.  We also supply food and a suitable transfer crate. 

Your job as a foster parent is to love, socialize and care for your animal while they await transport to their "furever" home.  On transport day, you will meet our transport volunteers to prepare your precious cargo for their trip to Acworth where they will be met by a Road Trip Home volunteer crew.

People often ask me why I foster shelter dogs. They don’t understand how I could bear to give them up or why I’d bother putting the time and effort in with a dog I’m not going to keep.

One look at the face of a frightened, confused dog who suddenly finds himself in a loud, smelly, cold/hot, environment is enough for me to need to get them out of there. I’m instantly protective when I understand how they’re feeling. You can just see on their little face – wait, where am I? How did this happen? Where’s my human who I love? Where’s my comfortable bed and blanky? I didn’t do anything wrong, I’m a good girl, why is this happening to me? I’m scared!

Now that’s what really breaks my heart. 

So, my first reason to foster is for them - if I can offer a safe, warm, loving place for this innocent animal to wait for their furever home, I’m doing it even when I know I’ll cry to give them up.

Here’s another, maybe selfish, reason – it’s easier than committing to a lifetime with an animal you don’t really know. While all fosters come with some baggage that takes time to adjust/correct, I’ve fostered dogs that I was very happy to help for a short time but would not have adopted. My first fosters were month old puppies. It reminded me I don’t have the time, patience, energy to adopt a young puppy. My second foster was of unknow age but an adult. He was a well behaved, housebroken,  crate trained sweetheart. However, he was a breed that required more attention than I had to give long term and he drove my senior dog crazy! When I put him on the transport van, yes, I cried. But a week later I saw an announcement he had been adopted by a young family with children for him to play with. That made me cry again – happy tears!

Another reason fostering can be perfect for dog lovers is the flexibility it provides. I love having a dog’s companionship around the house but also like to travel. Fostering is the perfect situation to have the company while I’m home while having the flexibility to travel without worrying about where to leave a pet.

So, whatever your reason – empathy or convenience – fostering saves lives: the current foster AND the stray who the shelter now has space for. Please consider providing this vital opportunity for some sweet, innocent pets in desperate need!

We have an awesome team of volunteers who drive our HHS transport van to Acworth every month!  

Meet our transport partner, Road Trip Home!      www.roadtriphome.org  

RTH is a Georgia non-profit organization working tirelessly to save as many homeless pets as possible and to relocate them to states where there is a demand for shelter animals.

Our foster parents meet up monthly with our foster/transport team to hand of their furbabies for their trip to Acworth.  Look at these happy faces on their way to their new homes!

If you have room in your heart for a part-time furry buddy, contact us!  Our transport coordinator will be happy to discuss the details and welcome you onboard the team.

SEE OUR HOME PAGE TO DOWNLOAD A FOSTER APPLICATION!