Hello, and welcome to the MSGBR foster team!
Fosters are the backbone to all foster based rescues, and we’d never be where we are now if it wasn’t for you! MSGBR is committed to helping the most needy, as well as the readily adoptable, among our community’s most vulnerable creatures. We are a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to restoring the dogs under our care to physical and emotional health as they await placement in loving, responsible homes.
Below is a guide to help answer any commonly asked questions, how to do proper introductions, vetting, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fostering a Dog
How do I go about feeding my foster?
We recommend feeding twice a day (once in the morning, and once in the evening) as well as feeding separate from other animals and children such as in a room or in their kennel. This is the most guaranteed way to make sure that if a dog comes to be food selective, unneeded fights or incidents do not break out. The same goes for high valued treats such as bully sticks, and other chews as well as toys. Toys and treats should never be left on the ground, this can create resource guarding issues with even the most well behaved dogs, fosters or not.
How long does fostering a dog usually last?
Fostering can take as long as a few months to as little as a few days. This is all dependent on health, temperament, and just overall making sure we find them the right adopter. Making sure to send in clear photos & videos during your updates to the rescue can really help get a dog be better seen for it’s true personality rather than just a bio and previously recycled. We love to see new photos, and so do people looking to adopt, and will usually post every new photo that we see or is sent to us, as this is the best way to attract more people.
My foster is heartworm positive, should I worry about my dogs catching it?
Heartworm disease is not contagious, meaning that a dog cannot catch the disease from being near an infected dog. Heartworm disease is only spread through the bite of a mosquito, which is why it’s always a good idea to keep your own pets up to date on their monthly preventatives including flea and tick.
I need more supplies/preventatives for my foster, who do I ask?
If you do not have a designated Foster Friend, you would go on to message the rescues page through a private message, or an admin in the volunteer foster group. We give all fosters a supply of age appropriate preventatives, toys and treats, and a bag of food to start off with. We do ask fosters to help out by buying food every now and again for their foster dogs (unless they are on prescription diets). We run off what is donated to us, or what Brad and Jessica buy personally for the fosters. Supply meetups take place at our adoption events or can be brought to the new store (Piticorn) on Mainstreet, Front Royal.
I’m going on vacation, what do I do with my foster?
We need at least a month’s notice to be able to find a new temporary foster or to find a place to board your foster at. If you have other dogs in the house, and you are getting an in-home pet sitter, we do ask that you use them to help cut rescue costs.
My foster dog is sick (e.g, behavior change, lumps and bumps, ect), can I schedule an appointment with my vet?
Yes and no, we have a primary vet in the Front Royal Va area that we use for a good portion of the dogs in the rescue. Any further vet appointments that have not been made by the rescue, will need to be taken up with your foster friend or through the rescues page through a private message stating your concerns. We need to make sure that if you’re not able to get into our normal vet, that we can set up a rescue account with the agreed upon vet for rescue discount, comparing prices, etc.
When does my foster need to see a vet?
Most dogs are already vetted for their core vaccines (Parvo/distemper, rabies, bordetella) along with a wellness before coming in from transport, if further vetting is needed, you will be notified at pick up. You will also receive a supply of monthly flea and tick and heartworm prevention and a goody bag provided by the rescue full of food, treats, and toys.