Glossary

Foster

A temporary home that cares for a dog until it is adopted, which frees kennel space and helps the dog adjust to life in a house.

Also called: dog fostering, foster home, foster-to-adopt, foster care, foster family, fostering dogs

Fostering means giving a dog a temporary home until a permanent one is found. Many dog rescue groups have no building and rely entirely on foster families. Shelters use foster homes for puppies too young to adopt, nursing mothers, dogs recovering from surgery, and dogs that struggle in kennel conditions.

The rescue usually pays for veterinary care and often supplies food and equipment, while the foster provides daily care, exercise and basic manners. Fosters also learn the dog's quirks, so they can help match it with the right adopter. Some groups offer foster-to-adopt, which lets a person try a dog before committing, and a foster can choose to adopt.

Fostering takes time, patience and a willingness to say goodbye. Before you start, ask what costs the group covers, how long a typical stay lasts and who decides on the adopter. It differs from boarding a dog for a friend. It also frees space at a animal shelter.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Dog rescue A non-profit or volunteer group that takes in dogs from shelters, owners or the street and places them in new homes, often through foster homes. Animal shelter A facility that houses stray, lost and surrendered dogs and cats, run by a city, county or non-profit, which returns pets to owners or places them in new homes. Adoption fee The payment a shelter or rescue asks when you adopt a dog, helping cover vet care and running costs, often including vaccines, spay or neuter and a microchip. Spay and neuter in rescues The common practice of sterilising dogs before or soon after adoption, set by shelter or rescue policy to prevent unplanned litters.