Q: What do I have to do to foster a needy Doberman?
A: We have you fill out a volunteer application indicating your desire to foster, then we contact you to schedule a Home visit. At the time of the Home visit, we have you fill out a Foster Home Agreement (you can read that document on our website prior to the visit) and that gets filed with our Foster Home Coordinator. By then you would already be on the DAR&E email list and be getting a feel for how we operate. Once you’re approved to foster, you are added to the DAR&E Foster list – there you can get advice from other fosters, you’ll see dogs posted that we need to get into foster care, and have access to files on approved applicants, forms and other info needed only by foster parents.

Q: What do I have to pay for as a foster parent?
A: DAR&E pays for the vet care of our dogs and can also provide loaner crates, or ex-pens, etc. If we have donations of extra leashes, or bowls, etc, we try to provide those to foster parents for use. All you should really have to pay for is food for the dog. (although if we get food donations, we try and distribute those as well)

Q: What if I can only foster a dog once in a while?
A: That’s fine!! Many fosters do one right after another, but if we had more fosters who could do one occasionally, maybe more of us could take a break in between!!

Q: I think I’d like to foster to find the right dog for myself, is that okay?
A: We really discourage this there’s a lot of training that goes into fostering and if you just want to find the perfect dog – well, that’s the goal of every foster parent – to find the perfect dog the perfect applicant ! Of course, most of our foster parents have adopted one of their dogs as well, so while it happens, the intent should be to foster and save the life of more Dobes!

Q: I don’t think I can foster - I think I’d want to keep them all!!
A: We’re all softies and so far, none of us have kept them all . I always tell people that if you adopt one, you save one life. If you foster, you can save 10 or so per year that you foster. The average time in foster care is about a month. Most experienced fosters will tell you that while you love them all, it is a truly gratifying experience to see a dog go to a great home, where they will be a cherished pet.