Foster Information

Take an adoptable dog out of the shelter for a few hours or a day!

Doggy Day Out is a great way to give a dog a break from the shelter while learning more about their personality. Photos, videos, and notes from their outing are extremely helpful in getting them adopted.

Doggy Day Out guidelines:

• The animal remains the property of the North Little Rock Animal Shelter.
• Dogs participating in Doggy Day Out should not visit dog parks.
• Dogs coming directly from a busy, chaotic shelter environment may already be
  overstimulated. A dog park can add unnecessary stress and may contribute to behavioral
  problems.
• You are responsible for the animal while it is in your care.
• Please return the animal at the agreed-upon time unless otherwise arranged with shelter
  staff.

Fostering means giving an animal a temporary home while we work toward finding their permanent family.

Fosters provide valuable information that we simply cannot learn in a kennel. How does the animal behave in a home? What do they enjoy? Are they cuddly, playful, goofy, quiet, energetic, or a couch potato?

Fosters agree to:

• Provide a safe and appropriate temporary home.
• Provide the animal with the food supplied by the shelter.
• Help us gather photos, videos, and personality notes.
• Help schedule and participate in meet-and-greets with potential adopters when necessary.
• Communicate with shelter staff regarding the animal.
• Follow the shelter’s requirements regarding sterilization and medical care.

Foster animals remain the property of the North Little Rock Animal Shelter until they are officially adopte

Foster-to-Adopt is designed for someone who already believes an animal may be the right fit for them and wants to take the animal home while waiting for the required sterilization surgery.

The animal remains the property of the North Little Rock Animal Shelter until sterilization is completed and the adoption paperwork is officially signed.

Once the animal has returned to the shelter and completed sterilization through us, the adoption paperwork will be completed and the animal will become the property of the adopter when they pick the animal up.

Please understand: Foster-to-Adopt does not include the same level of ongoing support as our regular foster program. The goal is for the animal to become permanently yours once the required surgery is completed.

Until an animal has been officially adopted and the required paperwork has been completed, the animal remains the property of the North Little Rock Animal Shelter.

Taking an animal home as a foster, Foster-to-Adopt participant, or Doggy Day Out participant does not transfer ownership.

Communication is an important part of fostering. During normal shelter business hours, please contact the shelter directly with questions, concerns, updates, or anything you need help with.

Shelter Phone: 501 -791-8577

For an after-hours emergency, contact the non-emergency police number and they will dispatch our on-call officer. DO NOT use this number for any other reason than a true emergency.

After-Hours Emergency Phone: 501-758-1234

Please do not wait until the next business day to report a true emergency.

If your foster animal needs veterinary care, you must discuss the situation with the Director before taking the animal to a veterinarian.

Veterinary care will be coordinated through a veterinarian selected by the Director.

Fosters should not independently authorize veterinary treatment or incur veterinary expenses on behalf of the shelter without prior approval.

Emergency situations should always be handled with the foster’s/animal’s safety as the priority. Contact the non-emergency police dispatch as soon as possible.

The North Little Rock Animal Shelter will provide the animal’s vaccinations through the shelter.

If the animal has not yet been sterilized, the foster agrees to return the animal to the shelter for the first available surgery date.

Sterilization is required by state law and must be completed through the shelter’s established process.

Fosters are responsible for making sure the animal is available and returned to the shelter as instructed for surgery.

Failure to comply can result in further legal action and removal from our foster program.

One of the most valuable things a foster can do is show us who the animal really is.

Please help us by providing:

• Clear, fun photos
• Videos when possible
• Personality updates
• Information about likes and dislikes
• Funny or adorable things they do
• Notes about their energy level and daily routine
• Any observations that may help us find the right adopter

Fosters may also be asked to help participate in meet-and-greets with potential adopters here at the shelter.

You are the person who gets to see the animal outside of the shelter environment, and your observations can make all the difference!

Communication & Ownership After Sterilization
Once an animal has been sterilized through the North Little Rock Animal Shelter, we expect continued communication while the animal remains in the foster program.

If the shelter reaches out regarding the animal and the foster does not communicate or respond within one week of our initial attempt to contact them, the animal will be considered the property of the foster.

At that point:

• The shelter will no longer provide additional foster support for that animal.
• The foster becomes responsible for the animal and its ongoing care.

This does not apply to animals in the Foster-to-Adopt program, because the purpose of that program is for the animal to become permanently adopted following sterilization and completion of the adoption paperwork.

Foster animals may need to return to the shelter for a variety of reasons, including sterilization, medical care, adoption appointments, or because the foster arrangement is no longer working.

If you can no longer care for your foster, contact the shelter as soon as possible.

Please do not give the animal to another person or organization without speaking with shelter staff first.

The shelter will work with you to determine the appropriate next step.