🐾 WE’RE LOOKING FOR FOSTER CARERS 🐾

Have you ever thought about fostering a rescue dog? Maybe you’ve imagined having a little dog stay with you for a couple of weeks, giving them lots of love before they head off to their forever home.

And while there are certainly plenty of cuddles involved, fostering is so much more than that.

At Sweet Paws Dog Rescue, the dogs who come into our care often need a little more than just a temporary place to stay – dogs like Ruffles who’s settling into her foster home beautifully and will soon be looking for her new home.

Some arrive needing dental work, surgery, medication or a good groom. Others are frightened, unsure or simply need time to settle into a home and learn what life is supposed to be like.

That’s where our foster carers come in.

They provide a safe, loving home where these dogs can rest, recover and begin to understand what it feels like to be part of a family.

But we also want to be upfront about the commitment that comes with fostering.

Fostering isn’t something you can simply fit in around a busy schedule without giving it much thought. These dogs rely on their foster families for their daily care, their recovery and their second chance.

That means having the time and flexibility to:

🐾 Collect your foster dog from a shelter or private surrender.
🐾 Take them to veterinary appointments (our clinics are based on the Mornington Peninsula and East Burwood) sometimes at short notice.
🐾 Attend grooming appointments in Mornington when needed.
🐾 Give medications and follow veterinary treatment plans.
🐾 Spend time helping your foster dog settle, particularly if they’re nervous or have never experienced life in a loving home.
🐾 Keep us updated on their progress and let us know if something doesn’t seem right.
🐾 Make time for phone interviews and meet and greets when your dog is ready for adoption.

It’s a genuine commitment of your time, your home and your energy.

You may need to rearrange your day for a vet appointment, spend extra time helping a frightened dog feel comfortable, or be patient when things don’t go quite as planned.

Some dogs are ready for adoption in around two weeks. Others need longer to recover from surgery or simply find their feet.

And while we cover all approved veterinary and grooming costs and support you throughout the foster journey, the day-to-day care and commitment come from you.

You don’t need previous fostering experience. You just need a safe and loving home, patience, flexibility and a genuine willingness to be involved in every part of your foster dog’s journey.

There may be accidents, nervous behaviour, medical appointments and the occasional challenging day. But there will also be those little moments when a dog finally relaxes beside you, starts wagging their tail or discovers what it feels like to be loved.

And that’s why we do it.

If you think you could offer a rescue dog the time, patience and commitment they need, we’d love to hear from you.

Simply submit a foster carer application through our website and we’ll be in touch to have a chat and talk you through what’s involved.

👉 https://sweetpawsdogrescue.com.au/foster/

Every foster home means another dog gets a chance.

Sometimes, we cannot change the journey. But we can change the ending ♥️