This is a hard question. It depends on everything from the dog, the people, to the world circumstances. Some dogs are in rescue for two weeks, others are in rescue for two years. It really depends, we cannot guarantee anything.

We ask all of our fosters to commit to the dog until they are adopted. We understand families need to travel or take care of things. During this time we will find relief fosters to watch the dog temporarily until you can take them back!

We always consider the dogs that a foster wants to help first. However, we also always consider the dog and what environment they would thrive in. Some foster homes have other dogs, kids, cats, and some dogs are not kid friendly, dog friendly, or cat friendly. We also consider the level of training a dog needs and their reactivity levels we suspect or know a dog to have.

So, yes you can choose which dog you want or say no to the dogs you don’t want to foster, but we will have to approve of the dog before placing them in your care. We will also always be sure to communicate with you why we don’t think the dog is right for your home.

Nope! We are foster based throughout the state.

However, more rural areas will be limited to the support we can provide for transportation. If a dog needs to see a vet or a trainer and we can’t find one near you, you will have to commit to transporting them.

Short answer, yes. Long answer, we have a foster fail policy that we stick to no matter who the person looking to adopt is. We consider foster fails if the foster dog is:

• Senior

• Major Medical

• Major Behavioral

• In rescue longer than 6 months

None of these are guarantees for a foster fail. The adoptions team must approve of the foster to adopt and all fosters will undergo the same adoption process as anyone else. Foster’s can be and have been denied adoptions do to not having the right structure, environment, and/or boundaries for a foster dog to live there long term. This is always considered with what will be best for the dog first.

You don’t have to pay for anything unless you want to! When you foster for California Bully Rescue we pay for the cost of everything the foster dog needs whether it’s supplies, toys, treats, food, training, medical care, etc. However, you are always welcome to donate or supply things yourself. If you choose to supply food, the food choice must be approved by California Bully Rescue first.

Foster families do need to provide:

• A healthy and safe environment for their foster dogs both physically and mentally.

• Transportation to and from CBR approved events and all vet appointments scheduled by CBR as needed.

• Proper socialization and balanced obedience training to teach dogs positive family and pet relationships.

• Exercise according to energy levels, enrichment, and positive stimulation.

Let us know at least two weeks ahead of time, the more notice the better, and we will find relief for you.

You are welcome to provide an alternative yourself, but it will be up to the rescue’s discretion to approve of them to watch the foster dog while you’re gone.

Absolutely! Everyone has to start somewhere. We ask that you understand our foster fail policy and should you ever feel like you needed added support, ask.

First time fosters will almost always have to have time for a California Bully Rescue approved trainer to come to their home for a session within the first week of bringing a new foster dog home. This is regardless of the families dog handling experience. Our goal with this is to alleviate the stress that comes with fostering the first time, while also starting with tips unique to your home from a professional to set you up for success.

Absolutely! The foster application is designed to help the foster coordinator match you with the best animal for your needs and time availability. The foster coordinator will always speak with you about the dog before placing them with you, typically one that we believe to be ok alone during the work day.

You will just need to provide exercise and attention before or after you go to work.

Yes! We just require you to supervise all outdoor activities with the foster dog and ensure they are leashed at all times, especially on walks.

While foster dogs playing with other pets is often fine, we require that you follow our dog-to-dog introduction guide and/or dog-to-cat introduction guidelines when introducing a foster dog to your resident pet. Please be aware that some dogs cannot cohabitate with cats no matter how slow the introduction.

We also advise that you consult with your veterinarian before fostering to ensure that all of your personal pets are healthy. Dogs in shelters are susceptible to illness and can carry or catch different diseases. If, for any reason, your personal pet becomes ill while you are fostering a CBR dog, we cannot provide medical care for your personal pet.

If any of your foster pets bite or nip you, whether blood is drawn or not, you need to report the bite to the foster coordinator or head of the rescue within 24 hours of when the bite occurred.

The law requires that we report all bites. The teeth of the animal, not the nails, must have broken the skin. If you are unsure, then please report the bite anyway.

You are not required to continue to foster a dog if you feel it’s not working out. However, we may not have an immediate alternate foster home for the dog. We don’t have our own overnight boarding facility.

Per our contracts, you will need to continue to house, care for, and provide for the dog in a loving and kind way while we find an alternate foster home for 30 days after you have informed us of your request to cease fostering the dog in your care.

Possibly, all of our dogs are in rescue for a reason, and often times it is due to medical problems or they are exposed to something in shelters.

While we do our best to ensure we are aware of every condition that a foster dog has before going to a foster home, sometimes the information isn't available, owner's that surrender lie, or an illness has an incubation period and symptoms don't arise until later.