Fostering provides respite to dogs struggling with kennel life, as well as enabling puppies to spend important developmental stages in a home environment. In line with our ongoing work to deliver gold-standard welfare to the animals in our care, we are currently in need of dog fosterers, particularly those who live in an adult-only household with no other pets.
Role Profile
The purpose of a fosterer is to provide safe and loving care in their own home to their foster animals adhering to Bath Cats & Dogs Home’s guidance and processes. You will be an important factor in your foster dog or puppy’s rehabilitation, socialisation, and rehoming journey. All costs are covered by Bath Cats & Dogs Home, foster animals will be provided with food, bedding, toys and any medication required.
As a volunteer fosterer, you will:
- Provide a safe and loving home for your foster dog or puppy for an agreed time period.
- Take care of their daily needs including feeding them, cleaning their living area, spending time with them to improve their socialisation and for those who need it, grooming.
- For dogs or puppies with ongoing medical conditions, administer their medication or provide any extra care they may need.
- Bring them to our on-site vet suite for vet appointments.
- Keep in regular contact with our Foster Coordinator to provide updates on their progress, submit behavioural assessments and send us photos to support the Rehoming Team to find your foster dog or puppy’s forever home.
- Bring them to the Home for scheduled rehoming appointments.
About You
Previous experience of owning or fostering a dog is not essential but is desirable. We are interested in speaking to potential fosterers who either own their own home or have permission from their landlord to keep pets. It is essential that you have a valid driver’s licence and access to a car to foster a dog or puppy. As you will need to visit us on a regular basis for appointments, and we are unfortunately unable to reimburse travel costs, potential fosterers should live within a 30-minute drive to Bath Cats & Dogs Home.
If you are an animal lover who has the time to give a dog that is struggling with kennel life, a nursing mum and her puppies, or a dog with medical issues who is waiting for their forever home, then we would love to hear from you!
We want to set you up for success and introduce you to fellow volunteer fosterers who can share their knowledge and experience with you. Therefore, we will host monthly training inductions for new dog fosterers.
How to Apply
All staff and volunteers are required to complete online Health & Safety training prior to their start date. Due to insurance restrictions, we can only take on volunteers over the age of 18.
Click on the link below complete the application form. If we feel that you are suitable for this role, you will then be contacted by our Foster Coordinator for a more detailed discussion of the role responsibilities.