Every day, we have to turn down dozens of dogs, because we simply don't have the room. Foster homes allow us to say YES to that pleading face.
Many people are hesitant about fostering a dog. They think, "I'll be too sad if I have to care for an animal, only to give him/her up!". While it's true that yes, seeing your foster animal off to a forever home is a bittersweet moment - what is the alternative? It is likely death, on the cold, hard floor of animal control. When you open up your home to a foster animal, you are literally saving a life and giving that dog a second chance.
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| Sari was rescued out of a horrific situation where 22 dogs and 15 cats were shot at a rural animal control. She is now in a foster home and doing wonderfully! |
Fostering is a commitment that you make to the dog. It is a selfless act, and there may be challenges, but fostering comes with the greatest reward of all - seeing that dog that you've cared for through thick-and-thin finally finding a permanent home.
Interested in fostering? Great! Here are some
Frequently Asked Questions.
"Do you require foster homes to live in a certain area?"
Yes. Although we exist as a world-wide resource for fighting BSL and pit bull education, our rescue efforts are local. We require foster homes to live in the central Illinois or greater Chicagoland areas.
"Where do the dogs come from?"
Many are strays that are brought into our vet. Others come from "death row" - shelters that euthanize for space.
"Do I get to pick the dog that I foster?"
Yes and no. It is easy to fall in love with a handsome face, but all foster placements are done in the best interest of the animal. We will work with you to find a dog that matches your lifestyle and household. We want your experience fostering to be as stress-free and pleasant as possible!
"What is required of me?"
The foster home is responsible for food and (most) supplies (we may be able to provide certain things like crates). And of course, a loving, stable environment until the dog is adopted!
We also require the adopter to send pictures and updates on the animal, to make sure things are going smoothly, and so we can be constantly updating the adoption listings. Good pictures and biographies make all the difference in attracting adopters!
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| Shelter pictures like this are not effective in attracting potential adopters. Foster parents take personable and unique shots of their foster pup that increase their chances of being adopted! |
"What do you provide?"
DBMB covers
approved medical costs should they be needed. We also provide round-the-clock support, and have connections with several trainers should any issues arise (or if you want to work with your foster animal to make him more adoptable!).
"How long of a commitment is fostering?"
It can be very difficult to find responsible homes for bully breeds. Typical turn-around time can be anywhere from a month, to over a year for some "special needs" cases (like elderly, ongoing medical issues, etc). Let us know beforehand as to what time commitment you are able to provide.
"What if I want to adopt my foster animal?"
Great! If you decide to make your foster animal a permanent member of your family, please let us know immediately so we can mark them adopted and have you sign the adoption contract.
"How do you help get the animal adopted?"
We advertise the animals on several different websites for maximum exposure. They are listed on Petfinder, AdoptaPet.com, PBRC.net, here on our website, Facebook, and on other organizations' websites. We network the dogs heavily - every dog adopted out, is another that we can save!
With that being said, just as we select foster homes that are the best match for the dog, the same is done for adopters. Each adoption is in the best interest of the animal. Potential adopters are required to fill out an application, have their references checked, a home visit performed, etc (see our "how to adopt" page). DBMB is responsible for screening and approving all potential adopters, but of course, as the foster home, you do get a say in the final outcome as well.
"Ok, so how do I become a foster home?"
The first step is to fill out an application at www.dontbullymybreed.org/guardianship_application.htm. Please be patient in waiting for a response. We are a small organization, consisting of volunteers who do this in our spare time. We may get back to you the same day, sometimes it may take a few days. However, feel free to email us to make sure that we have received your application, as sometimes technical errors may occur.
Once we have received your application, we will contact you for a brief interview, as well as contact your references. If everything checks out fine, we will proceed with a home visit. We simply want to make sure that your home is safe for an animal - we don't care if your bed is made or how expensive of a car you drive! Once the home visit is completed we will let you know if you have been approved to foster. if you have, then yay! We will work with you to find a foster dog that is an appropriate match. After we find a suitable dog, we will discuss with you one-on-one how to acclimate the dog to your home, and any other specific issues or concerns that may arise.
Note: Please, before contacting us and filling out an application, check with all the people in the home - family members, significant others, roommates, etc - to make sure that they are all on board to foster a bully breed.We get very excited when people say that they want to foster, only to suffer huge disappointment when told "Sorry, I checked with my husband and he doesn't want to add another dog right now". And don't forget to check with your landlord!
And please, before offering to foster, think things through! It is easy to have your heartstrings pulled by the pleading eyes of a dog who is going to be euthanized, but make sure that you are in a position to foster. These dogs have already been failed by their original "owners". Our resources are extremely limited, and when potential foster homes fall through, it places a large strain on our organization.
