Interested in becoming a foster carer?

Patience, willingness, and a commitment to work with your foster dog and help them to develop their basic training. Provide food, water, bedding and a safe, secure, and loving home where they can learn to be the best they can be, until they find their furever home.

Absolutely! We are a family! A team that helps each other! We have a Facebook group for carers where you can ask questions, catch up on all the gossip, find out who is new in town, share photos, and get notified of any events that are happening. We are also just a phone call away!

Generally, we ask you to provide their day to day needs such as food, water, shelter, collar, bedding, bowls, and a loving environment! From time to time we do receive donations and are happy to share amongst our foster carers when we can.

How long is a piece of string? Every dog is different and normally stay with the foster carer until they are adopted. You could have them as little as 2 weeks or as long as 18 month, or more! It is just something we cannot give an exact answer too.

All vet care is covered by the rescue, including medications, using our preferred vet clinic. You will not be out of pocket for any vet care. We ask if you think something may be wrong with your foster, or if there is an emergency, please contact our friendly team and they will be there to help guide you through the correct action/process.

Yes, we track all our dogs in care and keep a record of who needs worming when. The rescue will supply all wormers/medications for foster dogs only. It is your responsibility to keep your own dogs up to date.

We may not be able to give you a specific dog, just let us know if you want to foster puppies, adults or seniors. We make sure to match the foster carer with the dogs that suit them.

Absolutely! You have put so much time and love into healing your foster dog, you know them best, so of course you have a say when finding the right furever home for your foster!

Yes! It is great when there is another dog in the house to help with socialisation and to be a big fur brother or sister!

Yes! We work closely with the council and they are aware that many foster carers out there have their own dogs. If you receive a letter or complaint, please contact our team to help you clear up any issues.

Yes, you sure do! Sometimes we have Houdini’s that may escape or may climb fences, a secure yard is important, not just for the safety of our foster dogs but for the safety of the public. We do not want them ending up in the pound again!

We prefer that your pets are up to date with their vaccinations. This is a risk you would take; do you want any harm coming to your babies?

Absolutely! Please contact your real estate to seek permission from the homeowners first.

Yes, we do. We require written permission as part of your application to be a foster parent.

Absolutely! We have full time carers, part time, carers that help on their holidays between uni. People from all walks of life and schedules!

We call this a Foster Fail and most of us have done it! There is just some you can let get away! In this case, you would let the rescue know so they can stop advertising your foster and you would go through the same process an any adopter.

From time to time we receive donations from the community, or from Pet barn. When we receive these donations, we are more than happy to share amongst our foster carers.

Sure, as long as your foster dog is; confident, friendly, and fully vaccinated and your family’s dogs are; friendly and vaccinated. If you think they will get along, we are all up for social interactions! We ask that if leaving your yard, they have an identification tag on stating Cairns Animal Rescue and your phone number, in the event they run off. We also ask you to be aware of other family/friends’ pets such as chickens, cats etc. Not all dogs in care are friendly towards others, this will need to be assessed on each individual dog. If you are concerned or have any questions, just ask!

Sure! If you are going away camping for the weekend or got a weekend road trip, absolutely! But anything longer than this works as a negative for your foster dog as they are not here to meet their potential family.

Of course! We want them to feel a part of the family! Sometimes these dogs have only seen a cement slab and a chain!

That is ok, we love that you want to help! From time to time, we do events and sure love extra hands to help set up, pack away, do some baking. We are always looking for donations of towels, blankets, bedding, food. Nothing is too little! Even sharing our posts on Facebook, helps us to get the word out there! Every little bit helps!

We are not going to lie, sometimes it does hurt, they have become a part of your family. They say every foster takes a little piece of your heart with them. You just need to remember and be strong and proud that you have helped your foster become a new dog and helped find their furever home! P.s It does get easier the longer you foster.

Being a rescue, we come across a lot of different situations and sometimes there is situations that hit you straight in the face! The world is sometime a cruel place and being in a rescue, you see that cruelty from time to time, including death. But this is part of rescue, do not forget you have a great team of support and be happy in knowing from now on, their life is going to be better!