Open Your Heart and Home: Become a Foster for Animals In Need
Fostering an animal is one of the most rewarding ways to make a difference in the life of a homeless pet. By providing temporary care in your home, you help us save more lives, giving cats and dogs the time they need to find their forever families. Foster families expand the Animal Orphanage’s ability to care for animals beyond the walls of the shelter by giving pets a warm, loving environment to heal, grow, and flourish.
Whether you're an experienced pet parent or a first-time foster, we'll support you every step of the way. We provide all the needed supplies including pet food, litter, crates, toys, bedding, and necessary medicine. Ready to help? Contact us to learn more.
Why Foster?
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Save Lives: Every pet you foster creates space in the shelter for another animal in need.
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Experience the Joy of Animals: Enjoy the companionship of a pet without a long-term commitment.
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Make a Difference: Help pets prepare for adoption by giving them love, training, and socialization.
What to Expect as a New Foster Parent
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Temporary Commitment: Fostering can last anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on the pet's needs.
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Provided Supplies: The Animal Orphanage covers food, medical care, and supplies – you just provide the love and care.
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Support System: Our team is here to help with training tips, behavioral guidance, and emergency care if needed.
Success Story: A Foster Family Testimonial
"The foster experience has been life-changing—not just for the animals we’ve cared for, but for us as well. As a household without permanent pets, we have the freedom to take in the most vulnerable animals-those in need of a quiet, loving environment to heal or learn to trust.
Whether it’s giving them a chance to rest and recover from illness or a medical procedure, helping them leave a feral life behind, or supporting them as they work through trauma, we’ve seen it all. Is it difficult? Of course! The bond we form with each foster is incredibly powerful. It’s hard not to get attached, but we’ve learned that the love we give them helps shape their future which far outweighs the sting of goodbye.
Nurturing them as they overcome the circumstances that landed them at our doorstep and watching them blossom into happy, healthy pets is a joy I wish everyone could experience. We’ve tended sutures, given medications, cleaned and dressed wounds, combed through mats, given countless baths, cleaned dozens of ears, and patiently encouraged bravery from the most terrified and withdrawn.
The biggest reservation we hear from people is the fear that they couldn’t part ways when the time comes to begin the adoption journey elsewhere. Here’s the trick we use to work through that step: Shelters are at capacity everywhere. Every year, over a million animals are euthanized in this country alone simply for being “unwanted.” Every single space matters. Fostering temporarily provides them with a space in a loving home, freeing up room at the shelter to take in another animal in need. Without foster homes, many shelters already facing underfunding and overcrowding would be forced to make heartbreaking decisions.
Do we want to keep them all? Without question, every time. But we know that because of our contribution, they’re going to a good home with a bright future—and that brings closure. We’ve played a key role in ensuring their happiness and well-being, and we know there’s another one waiting—injured, sick, scared, or traumatized—who needs us just as much as the last.
Fostering is a noble and selfless act, well worth the temporary heartache of saying goodbye. It’s not about losing the animal; it’s about giving them the opportunity to have a better life. If you’re unsure, start small, and know that your temporary heartache will be outweighed by the joy of knowing you’ve helped them find a forever home. Your heart and camera roll will never be fuller." - Kate & Dom Allott, Fosters for the AO
Success Story: A Kitten Foster Testimonial
"I have been fostering kittens for the Animal Orphanage in Old Town since early 2018. I had just had back surgery and gotten out of a relationship – and I needed something to keep me occupied while I was home for another five weeks. Enter a Facebook plea from AO for fosters (something I had done a few times in the past), and a phone call later, and I drove over to fill out an application in person.
My first encounter with fostering was a moment of pure joy. I met Shannah, who introduced me to the tiny bottle babies they were caring for at the time. These were the youngest kittens I had ever fostered, and Shannah patiently demonstrated all the techniques for their care. Instead of driving home and waiting for a call, I was heading back with a car full of supplies and three-week-old triplet kittens we named Luna, Tuna, and Sunny.
These three were just the beginning of my fostering journey. Since 2018, I’ve had the privilege of caring for many more kittens. The shelter has been a pillar of support, providing everything the kittens need: playpens, formula, kitten food, litter, towels, blankets, toys – and even the unexpected. They're always just a call away, ready to answer any questions or provide guidance if one of your kittens falls ill.
It’s not always easy – I would advise everyone to start with some older kittens or cats who are in need of some socialization before diving into the deep end with newborn kittens. Newborns are not unlike human newborns in terms of their needs: waking up every 90 minutes to feed, potty, and clean them up. Making sure their habitat is the right temperature, and meticulously tracking weights is a lot. Sometimes, they all look the same and you have to devise systems to tell them apart for tracking purposes. The challenges add up – but seeing them grow, from fragile newborns to playful kittens, is one of the most rewarding things I do." - Jessy Brainerd, Foster for the AO
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Dog Fosters Needed!!
Our shelter is at capacity, and we need kind-hearted fosters to step up and make a difference for our dogs. By opening your home to a foster dog, you provide them with a safe, loving environment while we work to find their forever family.
Fostering helps give dogs a break from the shelter, reducing stress and improving their well-being. It also helps us learn more about the dog’s personality in a home setting, making it easier to match them with the perfect adopter. We provide the food, supplies, and veterinary care—all you need to provide is love and a temporary home.
Whether you can foster for a few days, weeks, or longer, every bit helps! Please email us today if you’re interested in becoming a dog foster or learning more.
Success Story: A Dog Foster Testimonial
"Fostering dogs for the Old Town Animal Orphanage over the past few years has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me and my family. The best part is watching the puppies thrive in a home environment alongside other dogs while they receive vet care and wait for their forever homes. The orphanage provides everything—food, toys, crates, and more—so we can focus on giving them love and stability. I know fostering isn’t for everyone, and it can be tough not to keep them all, but in the end, we do it for the dogs. Seeing them happy makes it all worthwhile." - Carrie Smart, Dog Foster for The Animal Orpahange
