Foster a Dog in the Chicago Area
Fostering a dog means temporarily caring for a homeless dog in your home while a shelter or rescue organization works to find them a permanent adoptive family.
Unlike adoption, fostering is not a lifelong commitment. Foster homes create space in shelters, give dogs relief from kennel stress and help rescue organizations learn how each dog behaves in a home. A placement may last a few days, several weeks or several months depending on the organization and the dog’s needs.
Have questions before you apply?
Foster requirements vary by organization, dog and household. If you have questions about resident pets, children, costs, transportation, time commitments or what happens when a placement is not working, start with our foster FAQ.
Find a Chicago-Area Dog Foster Program
Apply directly with a participating shelter or rescue organization. Each program sets its own service area, screening process, household requirements, expected commitment and policies for supplies, transportation, veterinary care and adoption support.
Shelter Foster Programs
- Foster a dog with Anti-Cruelty
- Foster a dog with PAWS Chicago
- Foster a dog with One Tail at a Time
- Foster a dog with Animal House Shelter
- Foster a dog with Orphans of the Storm
Rescue Foster Programs
- Foster a dog with ALIVE Rescue
- Foster a dog with Chi-Town Pitties
- Foster a dog with Chicagoland Bully Breed Rescue
- Foster a dog with Dark Horse Dogs, NFP
- Foster a dog with Dogs Are Deserving Rescue
- Foster a dog with It’s A Pittie Rescue
- Foster a dog with Players for Pits
- Foster a dog with South Suburban Humane Society
What Fostering Actually Involves
A foster parent provides the dog’s temporary home and daily care. Depending on the dog and the organization, that can include:
- A safe and stable home environment
- Food, water, exercise and a predictable routine
- Time to rest and decompress after leaving a shelter
- Observation of the dog’s behavior in a home
- Communication with the shelter or rescue about the dog’s progress
- Transportation to approved veterinary visits, adoption events or meet-and-greets when required
Many organizations provide some combination of food, a crate, basic equipment, approved veterinary care, medication, training guidance and foster-coordinator support. What is included varies, so ask what the organization provides and what it expects from the foster home before accepting a dog.
Responsibilities of a Foster Home
A foster home gives a dog stability while following the shelter or rescue’s placement plan. Responsibilities may include:
- Allowing the dog time to decompress without forcing interactions
- Maintaining consistent feeding, walking and rest routines
- Helping with house manners, crate routines or leash walking
- Reporting health or behavior changes promptly
- Following instructions for medication, introductions and veterinary care
- Sharing accurate observations, photos or updates that may help the dog find an adopter
- Participating in meet-and-greets or adoption events when required
Some dogs can be placed with first-time foster parents, while others need a home with specific experience, fewer pets or a quieter environment. The organization should help determine whether a particular dog fits your household and comfort level.
Dogs recovering from surgery, illness or injury may need additional monitoring and care. Learn more about medical and special-needs dog fostering.
How Foster Homes Help Dogs Get Adopted
- Create shelter and rescue capacity for additional dogs
- Give dogs relief from stressful kennel environments
- Help dogs establish predictable household routines
- Reveal behavior that may not be visible in a shelter
- Provide useful information for matching dogs with adopters
- Give puppies, seniors and dogs with medical needs an appropriate place to recover or develop
Some foster parents later apply to adopt their foster dog, but adoption is not required. Policies for adopting a foster dog vary by organization.
Why Foster Space Matters for CACC Dogs
Chicago Animal Care and Control is the city’s open-admission municipal shelter. Rescue organizations can transfer dogs from CACC into their own programs, but many of those transfers depend on an available foster home.
Foster placement can be especially important for dogs experiencing kennel stress, dogs receiving medical treatment, large dogs and pit bull-type dogs that may need additional time and visibility before finding an adopter.
When a rescue has an appropriate foster home, a dog may leave the shelter, decompress in a quieter setting and receive organization-supported care while waiting for adoption. The rescue remains responsible for the dog and manages its veterinary care, adoption process and permanent placement according to its own policies.
What Happens After a Dog Enters Foster Care?
- The dog leaves the shelter or rescue facility and begins settling into the foster home.
- The foster parent follows the organization’s decompression and care instructions.
- The rescue coordinates approved veterinary care, medication or training support when needed.
- The foster home shares observations that help the rescue understand the dog.
- The rescue promotes the dog for adoption and screens prospective adopters.
- The foster family may participate in introductions or meet-and-greets.
- The dog moves to an approved adoptive home when the right match is found.
The exact process differs among organizations. Review the individual foster program before applying and ask questions about commitment length, supplies, medical decisions, transportation, resident pets and what happens if you cannot complete the placement.