Foster caring changes lives

Anyone over 18 years of age can apply to become a foster carer.

We have basic foster care training modules which are completed via our online training platform once you sign up to foster.

The process to foster an animal is:

• Fill in an Application Form so we can get to know you.
• Complete our 1 Hour online training.
• Supply photos of the relevant areas of your home by email for a property check.

There are a range of reasons why RSPCA animals may need a temporary stay at your home:

• Orphaned neonates.
• Puppies and kittens that are too young to rehome.
• Mums and their bubs.
• Animals recovering from illness or injury before being available for adoption.
• Animals requiring behaviour support work.
• Animals that need a safe haven due to Domestic Violence.
• Large farm animals that need more space at a property.
• Animals that have to be evacuated from an emergency situation e.g. floods, bushfires, cyclone.
• Home Ever After animals that are waiting for their owner to return from hospital or whose owner has passed away and are now waiting to be rehomed.

Secure property fencing is required for most dog foster caring. Most medium, large and giant breed dogs will require the lowest section of the fence or gate, to be at least 5-6ft. All puppies and small breed dogs will require at least 4ft fencing. Though many dog owners will cite the case of their own Great Dane or Cattle Dog, who lived securely behind a 3ft fence for many years, we must be cautious and stipulate a minimum fence height that we expect to securely hold a variety of dogs within that size range. So even if you’re keen to foster Labradors, Staffies, Border Collies, German Shepherds, Boxers and Mastiffs, if your fencing is 4ft, you’re more likely to be offered smaller dog breeds like Fox Terriers, Maltese Terriers, Chihuahuas and puppies suitable to that height.

While some animals only need a week or two in foster care, others require long-term care, which in some cases has reached up to a few years. However, foster carers can specify what duration of care they are able to provide and we can contact other foster carers for that animal if you have holidays planned for example.

RSPCA Queensland will try to provide everything you need for your foster animal e.g. food (currently all dogs and cats in our care are fed Royal Canin diets), bedding, travel crate, veterinary care, toys, leads and collars, hydrobath and grooming appointments. Of course, many items we provide foster carers come from items donated from kind members of the public. We do find that many foster carers also buy treats for their foster animals and supply their own kitty litter.

Please advise our Foster Care team with as much notice as possible when you plan to be on holiday and we’ll match suitable foster animals to your needs. However, if you’re looking after a long-term foster care animal, they can be returned to our shelter and we’ll place them with another foster care family while you’re away.

Please be advised that RSPCA foster animals cannot be placed in external boarding facilities, taken on holidays, or left with other family members that aren’t RSPCA foster carers.

Yes! Just make sure to check your local council regulations for the number of dogs and cats that you’re allowed to have at your property before applying to foster.

If all the animals get along well together, you can certainly foster RSPCA animals with your own pets.

Before applying to foster, please ensure that your own pets are up to date with their vaccinations, intestinal worming and flea control treatments.

If you plan on fostering other dogs or puppies with your own dogs, we will arrange a meet and greet with your dogs and the foster animal to ensure they will get along in your own home.

If your dog is social and well-mannered, they’re more likely to accept a new companion into the home. If your own dog/s have shown any aggression or “intimidating” behaviours towards other dogs (e.g. growling, mounting, snapping, baring teeth), fear and nervousness around other animals, or if they’re extremely boisterous, they most likely won’t be suitable for our foster program.

We have lots of resources and advice provided to our foster carers.

Many of our foster carers have children. It can be very beneficial for our animals to get accustomed to kids. Depending upon the animal that needs to be fostered, however, we may avoid placing them in a home with children of a particular age. Please understand that we can only use a child’s age as a guide to what type of animal is suited to your family. Your children may be very experienced and confident with animals, but it’s not possible to consider these things for every individual foster family.

Yes! If you give plenty of attention to your foster animal(s) before and after work, your foster animals should cope with your absence. Many of our foster carers have full-time jobs and manage to exercise and interact with their animals around their work commitments. Foster carers are also asked to specify the average amount of time they are at home each day, so that we can find a suitable foster home for those animals who might need more company.

This is highly variable. Natural disasters, large numbers of animals coming into our care from Inspectorate cases, and cat breeding season can dramatically increase the number of animals that need to be placed with foster carers. During these busy times, we really appreciate having foster carers that are ready to take on a foster pet.

We have shelters at Wacol (Brisbane), Dakabin (north of Brisbane), Toowoomba, Gympie, Mackay, Bundaberg, Cairns and Adoption Centres at Townsville and Rockhampton. You will be required to collect and drop off animals from our facilities and return them for emergency and routine veterinary treatments, so it is advisable that carers live no further than an hour’s drive from their nearest RSPCA Queensland shelter or adoption centre.

Find your nearest RSPCA