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Foster Heroes

Become a foster hero and save a life.

By becoming a Foster Hero, you provide one animal with a comfortable, loving home while they await adoption, plus open a space at our shelter for another animal. We will supply everything you need to foster your new furry friend. You just bring the LOVE!

Foster Heroes Program

So many ways to foster.
Countless rewards.

ADOPTION AMBASSADORS

Give an animal a safe, loving home while they wait to be adopted. All adult dogs and cats are eligible to be Adoption Ambassadors! Adoption Ambassadors learn all about their foster animal and help our team match them with the perfect fur-ever home. Share photos and videos, promote your animal online and around town and tell potential adopters what you love about your foster pal. Average foster time: 2-3 weeks.

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TRUST-BUILDING & SOCIALIZATION

Some animals need a little extra TLC to prepare for adoption. Many of our pets come from Animal Cruelty Investigations, such as hoarding situations, neglect and abuse. With our support and guidance, you can help an animal learn about love, trust and good house manners, and you’ll be rewarded by watching them be transformed. Average foster time: 4 weeks to 3 months.

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Apply to Foster

HEALING & COMFORT

Bring an animal with medical needs into the comfort of your home to recover. The caring environment you provide reduces stress for animals who have been injured or ill, mothers and their litters or orphaned puppies and kittens. We provide you with the supplies, training and guidance, and you celebrate as your foster pet heals. Average foster time: 2 to 4 weeks.

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BORROW-A-BUDDY

Borrow a shelter dog to give a pup a chance to get a break from the shelter! Bring a shelter dog on a fun outing on a hike, to an adoption event, or to enjoy a pup cup. Spend a little longer with them for a weekend getaway or slumber party! Borrow-a-Buddy also gives us the opportunity to learn more information about the pet that can be communicated to their future home. Average foster time: a few hours, a day, or a weekend.

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FOSPICE

When an animal is unadoptable due to a medical condition or life expectancy, your home can provide a peaceful, loving environment for their final weeks, months or years. We provide all your foster’s medical needs and support to keep them comfortable, and you will have the gratitude of a special animal as you help them across the Rainbow Bridge. Average foster time: 3 months to several years.

Get Started

Getting started is simple.

To get started as a Foster Hero, fill out our foster application. Then our staff will work with you to determine what type of foster pet best suits your lifestyle and can benefit from your special kind of TLC. Please allow up to 72 hours for processing.

Full support on every level for you and the pet you foster.

We provide you with all the supplies you need, including crates, treats, food, toys, potty pads, pet gates and more.

Our staff will also go over your foster pet’s unique needs and conditions, as well as resources, training and other support to make your foster journey a great experience. We offer boarding as well as foster sitters for our Foster Heroes, so that they can go out of town and resume fostering their pet when they return.

Start when you can. Stop when you need to.

Once you are signed up as a foster for the SPCA of Texas, you will receive foster requests, a foster newsletter highlighting our successes and be invited to join our Foster Hero Facebook group. Our Foster Heroes can also browse the pets we currently have awaiting foster homes and request to foster a specific pet.

If at any time a Foster Hero is no longer able to foster a pet, we will coordinate with them to bring the pet back to our shelter.

Falling in love and want to adopt your foster?

Some of our Foster Heroes fall in love with their foster pets and choose to adopt them. We can help with that too. Some people call this a “foster fail,” but we know everyone involved is coming out winners!

Have Questions?

Reach out to our Foster Team at foster@spca.org.

Foster Stories

Not a dry eye – or an animal without love – in our foster stories.