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Animal Care  /  How You Can Help  /  Fostering - Save A Life

Fostering

Please complete our Foster Application  you can expect a reply within 24 hours of submitting your application. If you have not been contacted in 24 hours from submitting your application, please email acsrescue-foster@sanantonio.gov.


What is a foster home?

Foster

 A foster home is a temporary living situation for pets in our program while they are awaiting placement in a permanent home or transfer to a rescue. Foster families provide shelter, food, care and love. The number of animals we can save depends entirely on the number of people who open their homes and hearts to foster them.


How Long Can I Expect to Foster a Pet?

 Fosters will keep animals an average of 1-2 months unless it is medically or behaviorally indicated otherwise. Some pets need more time because of age, illness, injury, or behavior issues. 

Why Foster? The only way we can save these animals is with the help of foster homes. Our young kittens and puppies need to stay in foster until they are old enough to be spayed and neutered, at which time they are ready for adoption.  Older pets who are ill or injured may need to stay in foster care until they are well enough for adoption. In some cases, a foster home is needed to help an animal transition from the stress of having been abandoned at a shelter. But mos t of all many of our pets just need a little more time to find their forever home. Being a foster family has rewards beyond the essential value of helping a pet in need find a new home. For some, it is a chance to have an animal companion without a lifetime commitment. For others, it is the special challenge of helping an animal recover from an illness or injury, the trauma of losing a beloved owner or home, or to overcome a behavioral issue. Occasionally, it’s the joy of giving extra TLC to kittens and puppies too young to be adopted. 

What are the responsibilities of a foster family?

  • Be able to go to ACS to meet your potential foster pet
  • Provide safe, humane, INDOOR housing for your foster pet until they are adopted (sometimes only a few days, sometimes weeks or a few months)
  • Bring your foster pet to the shelter at least one weekend per month to help socialize, market, and try to get them adopted. 
  • Provide safe transport to and from the clinic at ACS to have your foster checked on a monthly basis (Mon or Wed 11-1; Tues or Thurs 2-4pm)
  • Use the internet and social media to market and otherwise actively seek out a permanent home for your foster pet. 
  • Keep the foster rescue staff updated of any changes regarding your foster pet and provide updated pictures and a biography about your foster pet at least once/month while the pet is in your care
  • Be available via email or phone to respond to potential adopters who have questions about your foster pet

Interested in becoming a foster but want to know more?

Please contact acsrescue-foster@sanantonio.gov with questions.

Shelter Paws Program

Our Shelter Paws program lets you take a dog for the day - or even a few hours - in the hopes of making that dog more friendly and adoptable, and giving the dog a break from the shelter! Take a walk in the park, go for a hike or a run, watch a movie at home, or get a puppuccino! To participate, you must:

  • Be 18 years old
  • Have a photo ID
  • Have a reliable vehicle
  • Be dog friendly!

To sign up, click this link: Sign up here!

If you have questions, please email: acsshelterpaws@sanantonio.gov.