Welcome to Fostering 101

First, we want to thank you for considering becoming a foster home for GGBR! WE ALWAYS NEED FOSTER HOMES. It’s probably the most challenging job in the organization, but also the most rewarding. You’re giving each dog you foster another chance at having a happy life, starting with you. Not everyone can say that they made a difference in a dog’s life AND also in the lives of the people who adopt them.

What is a foster home? A foster home is a family who takes into their home one of GGBR’s homeless basset hounds. They care for and evaluate the dog’s temperament until a new forever home is found. Foster homes are essential to a successful adoption. They have first hand experience with the dog and can aide our Adoption Coordinator in placing the dog in the right home. If you would love to have a basset hound, but are not in a position to take on full responsibility for a hound right now, this is a great way to get to know what might be involved, to get to know the breed, and maybe to meet the one hound that will steal your heart! Our foster homes get first call on their foster dogs when it comes to choosing their forever home. Although you will probably fall in love with nearly every hound you foster, you can be sure that they are going on to the best home we can find... and often you can stay in touch and get photos/updates etc. so they never really leave your heart!

Below is list of Frequently Asked Questions about fostering for GGBR:

Question: What is the process to become a foster home?

Answer: First you need to submit a foster application, using the Forms/Apps link to the left. If you are reading this on behalf of a friend who does not have computer access, we can send out a hard copy of all our application forms. Just send a message to one of our contact volunteers on the contact page. Once your application is processed, a GGBR Volunteer will arrange for a home visit, just as we do for prospective adopters. The purpose of the home visit is to get to know you face to face and answer any questions you have about fostering. We hope to launch a long lasting relationship with you, so we feel it is a good way to get to know you, and vice versa!

Question: What kind of requirements are there to become a foster home?

Answer: We look for a loving, dog friendly place where a Basset Hound will be nurtured and cared for. Chances are if you already own a Basset Hound, your home will do just fine. If you are just entering the world of basset hounds, we will help you make sure that your home is basset friendly and safe. We do not insist on fenced yards or that someone is home all day, although these assets would be great. Dogs will be placed in all sorts of home situations, and it only makes sense that their foster home is just a 'normal' environment!

Question: How long will I have a foster dog in my house?

Answer: It varies. Young, adoptable hounds get placed quite quickly, so it could be just days or weeks. Some hounds are sick and need to recuperate, undergo vet visits, treatment etc. and may not be made available until they are healthy. That could take longer. Older hounds are more difficult to find homes for, so they may be with you several months. Owner surrender dogs don't always require a behavior assessment, but some shelter dogs (where the background may not be known) need a longer assessment period before we can post them as available for adoption. If you are fostering a dog for us, and you have a crisis, we will do what we can to find a new foster home as soon as possible, so you do not have to foster any longer than you want to. We prefer not to move the dogs too often, as this just perpetuates their confusion, but we understand that you have a life as well! Also, if the dog is not a good fit for your household, we will also remove the dog for you and find you (hopefully) another.

Question: What do I need to provide for a foster hound?

Answer: Food and love! GGBR will pay for medical costs, and any other excessive out of pocket expenses. Obviously, if you are able to provide financially for these costs, anything you pay may be treated as a donation and be used to write off expenses against your taxes. The minimum is a loving environment. A warm bed, good food, and to be treated as one of your family. The foster stage is extremely important in rehabilitating an unwanted, abandoned or neglected hound. Socializing the dog, observing how it responds to other animals, children, being left alone, watching for signs of allergy or other health problems so we can deal with these before placement are vital to choosing the correct forever home. Attendance at adoption fairs and GGBR events is always welcomed. As we work on a foster basis, with our foster homes distributed all across Northern California, we don't have any one place where potential adopters can come and meet the hounds, so if you can attend an event that would be wonderful. It also increases the chances of finding your hound its own forever home!

Question: What help can I expect from GGBR?

Answer: As above, financially, we can pay for necessary medical costs. Unless it is a medical emergency, we would want you to liaise with either our foster coordinator, Cindy Marsh, or our intake/adoption coordinator, Gloria Carlsen over planned vet visits. We require all our hounds to be spayed or neutered, fully up to date on vaccinations, usually heartworm tested and on heartworm and flea preventative, so there will be routine medical visits to take the dog to. On a more practical level, our foster coordinator will be there for help and advice, plus the other Board members, and our other volunteers. We would welcome foster families who will take photos and give updates on the behavior of their foster hounds.

Question: Anything else I should know?

Answer: Probably much more than I can summarize here! The whole GGBR organization is here to support you and answer any other questions you may have. Contact ggbassetrescue@hotmail.com if you have any questions.

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