What is Fostering?

Fostering is something that you can do to save lives!

A foster home is a temporary living situation for dogs and cats in our program while they are awaiting placement in a permanent home. Foster families provide shelter, care, and love.

Fostering

Dogs

Give a dog a break from the shelter and a fresh start. As a foster, you provide love, structure, and safety—helping them heal and prepare for adoption.

Fostering

Staycation

Take a break with a shelter dog! SAPA! provides supplies like food, treats, and “Adopt Me” gear—just choose the Staycation option on the foster app.

Fostering

Cats

Offer a calm space for a cat to relax, recover, and reveal their true personality. Your care helps them transition into their forever home.

Fostering

Neonatal Kitten

Help save fragile, orphaned kittens by becoming a Whisker Warrior! SAPA! provides supplies and support—you provide love, time, and a safe space to grow.

Foster families provide shelter, care, and love.

Why Foster?

  • The number of animals we can save depends entirely on the number of people, who open their hearts and homes to foster them. San Antonio Pets Alive! is a foster-based rescue organization and relies on the community to save thousands of lives each year.
  • In some cases, a foster home is needed to help a dog or cat transition from the stress of living at the shelter. For some dogs and cats, they will need to stay in a foster home until they are adopted.
  • Being a pet foster family has rewards beyond the essential value of helping a pet in need find a new home. For some, it is a chance to have an animal companion without a lifetime commitment, or to try new companions for an existing pet. For others, it is the special challenge of helping an animal recover from an illness or injury, the trauma of losing a beloved owner or home, or to decompress.
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Whether it’s short or long term, we have a foster pet for everyone!

Length of foster care varies based on each animal. Some foster animals may only need your hospitality for a week or two while awaiting transport, and others may require up to three months of care. The length of time can depend on the animal’s age, medical issues, and the amount of effort placed into marketing the pet. Most foster animals stay in their foster homes until they are adopted out, so marketing your foster animal is an important factor in length of stay!

Play Video

Interested in becoming a foster but want to know more?

Watch the Foster Orientation Video.

Gallery of Our Fosters