Program Overview

Thank you so much for your interest in being a part of our foster program! Whether you are able to foster for short or longer periods, you play an essential role in not only in providing our animals a safe space to thrive but the opportunity to find their loving home. Opening up your home to a shelter pet comes with many rewards and benefits that extend beyond an individual animal. You are making a difference in the lives of multiple animals and creating positive impact to our overall shelter operations.

BENEFITS OF FOSTERING

  • Increases kennel space: Fostering opens up a kennel for another animal in need. 
  • Reduces stress: Your home can provide our animals a space free of stress and exposure to diseases that exist in a shelter environment.
  • Provides socialization & enrichment: fostering provides our animals the opportunity to receive proper enrichment and socialization, a benefit they would otherwise receive. This is due to ongoing staffing issues, a challenge experienced by many shelters especially during peak seasons of high intakes. 
  • Recovery from illness/injury: animals can recover from an illness or injury, at a much faster pace in a foster home setting. 
  • Team member support: LBACS can provide essential supplies (limited supply on certain items) and team member support for any medical/behavior concerns that may arise. 

ANIMALS ELIGIBLE FOR FOSTER

Though LBACS' houses hundreds of animals at a time, not every animal meets the requirements to be placed in a foster home. An animal's foster eligibility is based on several factors that include but are not limited to age, medical/behavior needs, length of stay and other factors. Our biggest need for foster homes includes the following groups:

  • Underage kittens/puppies/bunnies (neonates up to 2 months old)
  • Moms with kittens/puppies/bunnies
  • Rabbits and other pocket pets
  • Medium/Large dogs 

PLEASE NOTE: Submission of a foster application requesting a specific animal does not guarantee foster placement. Foster eligibility and placement are determined by our foster team. 

To give an animal's best chance at finding their loving home, healthy pets considered to be highly adoptable are not eligible for foster placement. LBACS' does not offer a "Foster-to-Adopt" option. If you are interested in meeting any of our animals for potential adoption, we encourage you to visit the shelter during operating hours or reach out to our adoptions team at petadopt@longbeach.gov to receive more information regarding a specific pet. 

TIME COMMITMENT

Foster homes act as a temporary safe space until animals are ready for adoption or rescue placement. Time commitments differ for each, and every animal placed into foster. Terms are based on factors similar to foster placement qualifications, as mentioned in the section above. For example, a litter of 6-week-old kittens will need a shorter foster term compared to an adult large dog that needs a more extensive placement. Please review the chart below to learn about our different foster terms and determine which term works best for you.

  • Emergency/Temporary foster (1 day-2 weeks)
    • Emergency/Temporary fosters play a critical role in saving the lives of our most vulnerable populations. Underage animals that are brought into the shelter towards the end of day, are at higher risk of euthanasia. An emergency/temporary foster would act as a cushion, providing our team time to find a permanent foster or rescue placement. This term is ideal for those whose availability only allows for a limited foster term.
  • Short-term foster (3-8 weeks, minimum) 
    • Short-term fostering is ideal for those whose availability may be more flexible and are able to foster a minimum of 3-8 weeks at a time. Underage kittens/puppies/bunnies (younger than 2 months), Mom's with babies and some adult dogs/cats with medical/behavior needs, qualify for short-term fostering.
  • Long-term foster (>8 weeks or foster until adoption)
    • Long-term fosters make it possible for our animals to receive a much-needed break from a stressful shelter environment. Our medium/large dogs are highly susceptible of experiencing kennel stress and thus, are a critical group in need of long-term foster homes. By signing up as a long-term foster, not only will you help provide prospective adopters with helpful information about how that pet behaves in a home environment, but you will also help increase kennel space that we otherwise do not have due to the ongoing capacity crisis experienced all year long. 

FOSTER RESPONSIBILITES 

Before embarking on your foster journey, LBACS wants to ensure that we set you and our shelter pets up for success. Becoming part of our foster program, fosters are required to abide by some important guidelines, including but not limited to: 

  • Provide food, water, shelter, socialization, exercise, appropriate training and ensure foster pets receive the best possible humane treatment. 
  • Ability to house foster animals separately from household pets.
  • Ability to transport animals to and from LBACS and/or off-site clinics for medical appointments.
  • Ability to treat animals should they require medical treatment. (Medication to be provided by LBACS)
  • Respond to communications thoroughly and promptly.
  • Attend adoption events and meet-and-greets (applicable to dog fosters only)
  • Agree to return foster animal(s) immediately upon LBACS' request for any reason, including returning for adoption and/or rescue placement. 

NEXT STEPS

LBACS is thrilled to welcome you to our foster program! If you are ready to embark on your foster journey with us, please submit an application by first creating a Better Impact account below. 

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