Foster

So You're A Foster, Now What?

Thank you for fostering with The Maggie Society! You truly are the bridge for these dogs to find their happily ever after! Without you, we wouldn't be able to function!

Haven't taken the leap yet? Do it!!! We always need fosters. Only available for a weekend? During school breaks? Overnight? As needed? No worries, there's always a need. Click on the button below, and complete your application. Yes, it's very detailed! But the more info we have, the better we will be able to match your home with a foster who needs the TLC you can give!

Key Responsibilities

Provide a loving home for a foster dog and treat your pup as part of the family, indoors of course!
Keep collar and ID tag on your dog or puppy.
Always use the orange slip lead when walking your pup outside of a fenced area.
Encourage crate training by placing your puppy in the crate you are unable to entertain or watch or at bed time.
Help your foster establish eating and potty routine to make the transition to a furever family smoother.
Interact with your pup and when possible, socialize pup to help them become comfortable around other people.
Bring foster pup to vet night if due for visit (on Tuesday evening, time TBA) and SNAP van for spay/neuter.
Give medications such as dewormer, flea/tick/heartworm prevention, as prescribed by Dr. Borst
Bring foster pup to meeting with potential adopter(s), adoption events, etc..

Supply Check List

Orange British Lead
Collar
ID Tag
Crate
Dog/puppy food
Puppy Pads
Water bowl, food bowl
Toys (chew bone s, chew toys)
Bed (dog bed, blanket or towels)

Other items considered helpful include:

baby gate
corral (for three or more puppies)
training lead
a roll of vinyl flooring that can serve as barrier between floor and puppies if setting up a corral arrangement

If you need anything, just ask!
We want to make sure that you have the tools necessary to be successful! If we don't have it, we can certainly try to get it!

We ask that REQUESTS for additional supplies be made in advance of TUESDAY'S ANTICIPATED VET NIGHT so that they may be gathered and tagged for pick up on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. (Supplies not picked up by Wednesday evening will be returned to the Maggie House and available for pick up on the following vet night.)

Your Foster Dog
Our foster dogs and puppies may be coming straight from a shelter or an abusive or neglectful situation. The first few days with a new dog or puppy in your home will be the most difficult. Please be understanding of this. Allowing some time for the dog or puppy to get comfortable may take some patience, but remember that you really are saving a life.

With small puppies, we often suggest that fosters take two when available as they entertain each other and often keep each other quiet at night.

If you have a dog or puppy who wants to fuss a bit in the crate, you may want to consider playing soothing music to promote a calm environment.

Upon intake and when possible, we try to send each animal to its foster home, equipped with flea/tick prevention. Often they will have receive the first round of distemper/parvo vaccine (depending on age and time of placement), and go to their foster home with dewormer.

Foster Thread
We use Facebook Messenger to set up what we call "foster threads". Threads are comprised of several people who act as support for our fosters. This is a great resource for asking questions and getting insight from others who have fostered lots of dogs and puppies. Other people may be added or deleted depending on their roles. Some members may be writing bios, doing adoptions, transporting your foster dog, vacation fostering for you, etc... Please use this tool to post questions and provide photos and information about your foster. In the event of an emergency, post your information with SOS. It's always helpful to tag Laurie Robl Brumfield, but if you forget, someone will answer your question or notify her! While it may seem easier to directly message a fellow foster with your questions, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to communicate on the foster thread as it eliminates the risk of miscommunication and provides a timeline for our vet.
You can also contact Laurie Brumfield by phone 252-292-6305.

About Vet Night
Vet Night is held at the Maggie House, usually on Tuesday nights. Dr. Borst volunteers her time to examine new intakes and provide care for dogs in the program. When bringing your dog to Vet night, you will be given an "appointment" time. If you have HEALTH CONCERNS about your foster, please post this on your foster thread so that they can see Dr. Borst if deemed necessary. If you have UNVACCINATED puppies, it is important to not handle other puppies due to possible disease transmission. CARRY puppies into the building, rather than allowing them to walk on the ground and DO NOT place puppies on the FLOOR. Sick puppies can CONTAMINATE the soil/floor which could be potentially deadly for others. Remember, as hard as it may be, avoid touching other dogs and puppies without sanitizing in between. REMEMBER-Requested supplies may be picked up on TUESDAY night as well as any meds that are due for your foster dog. Those who cannot PICKUP ON TUESDAY should pick up no later than WED.

Help Your Foster Pup Find A Home

Spread the News
Advocate for your foster pup! Use the power of social media to let the world know about your amazing foster pup! Post photos, share stories, tell about your pup (and always refer to your pup by his/her "Maggie" name, even if you call them something different at home) Encourage friends or followers to consider fostering--You'd be amazed at how many foster because they have a friend who fostered or adopted! Anyone interested in adopting can apply by completing an application at www.themaggiesociety.com.
*Occasionally there may be a shelter pup that has a pending court case and cannot be posted on social media. If you aren't sure if your pup can be posted, just ask!

Take and Share Photos

Tell About Your Foster Dog

Northern Rescue Partner & Transport

The Maggie Society networks with Wags Rescue in Pennsylvania. Once posted (offered) to Wags, they are no longer available for local adoption as they work with adopters who commit before the pups arrive. Posting doesn't mean that the foster it definitely going on transport but it is certainly likely. The final list depends upon which pups are adopted or have a foster home lined up. Once the list is confirmed, you will be notified of the plans for transport.
As a foster parent, you may be contacted by an adoption counselor or a potential adopter with questions. This will help the adopter decide if your foster pup is a good fit for them.

In Other News....

So yeah, it happens to the best of us. Sometimes it happens more than once. We prefer to call it a "Foster Win". So if it does, here's the thing.... You must make the decision BEFORE an approved adopter has a "Meet and Greet" with your pup, and definitely BEFORE your pup is posted to Wags. The same rules apply to foster families as with other adopters, such as adoption fee, responsibilities, future vetting and care.

We encourage fosters who KNOW that they will eventually adopt a dog or puppy to consider fostering several dogs before making the "fail". Why? It's so easy to fall in love with every dog or puppy, but waiting for the right one to come along is so special. Each foster pup teaches us something new...learning about different breeds, knowing different rescue stories, correcting bad habits, recognizing great qualities, finding what works with training and routine. Every fostering experience you have is like "test driving". The knowledge you gain while fostering is invaluable. But if your first one is a keeper, so be it. You just know when you know! We will celebrate with you! It's only a "fail" if you are no longer foster!

Helpful Resources for Fosters from Rocket Dog Rescue and Best Friends Animal Society