OK Yorkie Rescue is ALWAYS in need of foster homes.  All of our dogs have been rescued from local shelters pupymills,  dog auctions or surrendered by their owner in the Oklahoma area.  Foster homes provide us with the opportunity to get to know our dogs before we place them in permanent homes.  This helps us make the best possible match for the dogs and the adoptive families.  It also provides us with the opportunity to rehabilitate, train and socialize our dogs prior to placement.  Fostering can be a great way to volunteer and help the dogs. Fostering can also be a lot of work, but totally worth it when you see the joy on the faces of their adopter when they are ready to go home!

Below is a list of frequently asked questions to help you understand what is involved in fostering a dog for us.

Foster FAQ

What will be expected of me as a foster home?

Everything you need to provide for the care for you foster dog is crate (OKYR can help if you do not have one), food, bowl, etc. The most important part of your job will be to help reintroduce your foster dog to a home environment by giving him/her some basic training, socialization and of course TLC.  We will also need you to bring your foster to our adoption events which are held every other Saturday at Petco, we also have extra events when the opportuniy arises .  At these events you will have the opportunity to speak to potential adopters and show your foster dog.  You will have the opportunity to help check references and go on the home visit prior to placing your dog.   We want our volunteers to be actively involved in this process as there is a sense of ownership when you foster a dog.  We like to give our volunteers a say in who they place their dog with.

Where do the dogs come from?

Our dogs are all rescued from local shelters pupymills, dog auctions or surrendered by their owner in the Oklahoma area . We have volunteers that regularly visit these facilities and look for dogs that need our help. We have developed close working relationships with shelter workers and they will contact us when they have dogs in danger of being euthanized.

How do I integrate the foster into my household?

An experienced volunteer will help you with your first few fosters.  They will walk you through the introduction process and will even come to your home to help with initial introductions. This volunteer will act as your mentor and answer any questions you have while you are fostering your dog.  We will also provide you with the necessary tools (leash, collar, crate, etc.) for fostering.

Who pays the medical expenses of the foster dogs?

All approved medical expenses for the foster dogs are paid by OK Yorkie Rescue.  You will be asked to bring your foster to our approved vet. 

Am I putting my personal pets in danger by agreeing to foster?

Because our dogs come from shelter situations, they have unknown histories and it's quite possible they haven't had their medical needs properly met. They often have kennel cough (the equivalent of a human cold) and worms, among other possibilities. Before beginning to foster make sure your dog is up to date with vaccinations and has been given a Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine.  We recommend using a monthly heartworm preventative, such as Heartguard Plus or Interceptor, which helps to protect your dog from contracting other types of worms.  Depending on where your foster came from you may be asked to keep your dogs seperate until the foster dog can get into the vet for a check up.

How long will I have a foster dog before it is adopted?

It is very difficult to predict how long a dog will be in our care. We keep all dogs for a minimum of one week while we bring them up to date medically and make sure we have assessed their temperament correctly. Sometimes it can take several weeks for them to find a home. It varies greatly based on age, medical, or training issues. If you have a foster dog and need to go out of town, etc., please give us as much notice as possible so we can make other arrangements.  All fosters stay with us until they are adopted.

What kinds of behavior problems might I expect?

We do our best to eliminate the possibility of taking aggressive dogs. Still, some issues may arise. Possibilities include separation anxiety (i.e. crying or barking when left alone), marking (with urine), chewing, house training, barking, and dog aggression. We have many ways of managing these problems until they are resolved and our experienced volunteers are happy to offer advice.

What if the foster dog just doesn't work out?

We will help you overcome the situation, whether it requires additional training, or another placement. We will take care not to place a dog with you that you are not ready to handle. From time to time, the dog just isn't a good match. Arrangements will be made to move the dog to another foster home as quickly as possible.

Do I get to choose the dog I foster?

You can let us know the type of dog you would like to foster (age, gender, breed and size preferences) and we will attempt to find those types of dogs for you. What is most important is finding the right dog for your home environment.  To do this we will need to know what your home environment is like.  Do you have other dogs?  Cats?  Children?  Is your home a quiet or active one?  All of these things will be taken into consideration when we are looking for your foster dog.  We will always check with you before we take a dog from the shelter to make sure you are comfortable with our choice.

How do you say goodbye to your foster dogs?

The hardest one to let go is the first one, but we promise it does get easier.  Seeing the dogs go into a loving household is very gratifying and rewarding, and knowing they will have a good home will make it much easier to let go. Also, you will quickly see that there is an endless number of dogs in need, and those dogs all deserve their chance, too. Our foster volunteers have all been through "letting go", and we can help prepare you before, during and after.

If fostering sounds like something you might be interested in, please download or fill out our Foster Application online,  give us a call or drop us an email.