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Waggy Butts& Happy Mutts

Foster

You don’t pay for the dog. You lend the couch.

Fostering is free. We send food, supplies, and vet care. Apartment or house, yard or none, kids or cats - we match the dog to the home you already have. There is no shelter building. A temporary home gives a dog time to become adoptable, and it opens a kennel somewhere else for the next one.
Foster application
A foster resting her head against a tan dog during a bath

Why it matters

  • It frees a kennel.

    Every dog in a foster home is a space a shelter can use for another dog who is out of time.

  • It keeps them alive.

    Crowded shelters euthanize for space. A foster bed is how a no-kill rescue stays no-kill.

  • It tells the truth about the dog.

    Personality, quirks, and what kind of family will work — that comes from living with them, not from a kennel card.

How a foster stay goes

  1. 01

    Apply, then we match

    Fill out the foster application. Once you’re approved, we look for a dog whose size, age, and manners fit the home you described — not the other way around.

  2. 02

    We cover the costs

    Food, a leash, medical care, and a person to text when something feels off. Fostering with us is free.

  3. 03

    Let them decompress

    The first days are quiet on purpose. Patience beats a packed schedule. Tell us what you notice: energy, fears, how they sleep, who they like.

  4. 04

    Help us find the home

    Photos and honest notes are how the right adopter recognizes them. When it’s time, we run the adoption. You can be in it as much as you want.

Common questions

How long does a foster stay?

Some dogs leave in a couple of weeks. Others need a few months to settle, heal, or learn the house rules. We’ll say so before a dog comes to you if we already know it’ll be a longer stay.

Can I choose the kind of dog?

Yes. Size, age, and temperament are part of the match. A home with kids, cats, or a resident dog is useful information, not a disqualification.

What if I fall in love?

That’s a foster fail, and it happens. Fosters get first choice to adopt, and we’ll walk you through the same process as anyone else.

What if I can’t keep going?

Tell us right away. Life changes. We will move the dog. Don’t wait until it’s an emergency if you can help it.

Do I need a yard?

No. Apartment, full-time job, no fence — none of that rules you out. Any home is better than a kennel run, and we will not hand you a dog who needs what you don’t have.

One waggy butt at a time. That’s the whole model.