Fostering for Golden Retriever Rescue of Fairbanks

Give voice to your heart through your giving and volunteering!
Bring your heart and your sense of humor to your volunteer service, along with your enthusiastic spirit, which in itself is a priceless gift. What you'll get back will be immeasurable!

For GRRF, Fostering is the key volunteer effort responsible for making a difference in each rescued dog's life - one dog at a time!

The following will give you some idea of the expectations, responsibilities, and situations you may encounter as a foster home in the GRRF program. As you scan the list, you'll notice flexibility is a key ingredient. When you hear the stories of some of these poor dogs, the rewards are obvious.

Basic information:

• We are a registered non-profit, all volunteer organization.
• We supply food and any necessary vet care and medications.
• We have crates and citronella bark collars available.
• Your expenses are limited to time, gas, treats and your own generosity.
• Not all of our dogs are Goldens and Golden crosses.    We focus on Goldens because that is where our passion and our skills lie.  As resources dictate, we try to help dogs with that "golden" spirit such as retrievers, retriever-crosses, and other breeds.

Picking up your foster dog:

• You may be asked on very short notice if you can take a new foster.  Frequent communication with our foster coordinator is appreciated so that she knows in advance if you are available at that day and hour to help.
• The Aurora Vet Clinic is a typical pick up point.
• You may be asked to pick up your foster in other locations as circumstances require.  We provide rescue throughout the state right now.   We have active volunteers in the Anchorage and Southeast Alaska areas.   Please do not hesitate to volunteer if you live outside the Fairbanks-North Pole area.
• The information available for a new dog may be very limited and your dog knowledge and handling skills will likely be taxed to the limit.

Caring for your foster:

• Our dogs are companion animals and are part of the family household.  They are not to be “back yard dogs.”
• We never advocate, nor do we tolerate hitting or other forms of physical discipline. It creates more problems than it solves. Ask about appropriate positive training methods.
• You will be expected to observe and assess the dog's behavior and suitability for varying living environments.
• You may be asked to provide physical therapy if needed and administer medications as directed by a veterinarian.
• We like all our dogs to be crate trained and socialized.
• You will be given instructions on methods of obedience training and behavior modifications known or you determine to be necessary.
• It helps if you can take your foster (your dogs are welcome, of course) to our play days to help in assessing their dog-dog and new people interactions.
• You may be asked to foster a puppy or dog needing house breaking. Can you deal with the frustrations of chewing and accidents?
• You will get to give and receive lots of love while you are providing a safe, temporary refuge for each rescue awaiting that for-ever home!

Remember:

• If you get a foster you think just will not fit your situation you need only ask and another home will be found.
• Help is always just a phone call away.

Meeting your foster dog's potential new family:

• You may be asked to meet, on very short notice, a prospective family.
• The Aurora Vet Clinic is a typical meeting point.
• You may be asked to meet at other locations including the new family's home.
• You will be expected to provide the new family with information on your foster; you know your foster better than anyone in our organization.
• You will be asked your opinion of the new family's suitability for your foster.
• Other GRRF activities
• We are always in need of good foster homes and sincerely appreciate your kindly providing a home for these great dogs. If you want further involvement we have a variety of needs, principally fund raising, public relations and dog activities, just ask for more information.
  
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