Volunteer Denice Rutherford and her foster Collie friend
We desperately need foster homes, especially in Pueblo and Canon City, Colorado. Wherever you live in Colorado or even in another state, we would like to hear from you.
How Our Program Works
When we are contacted about a Collie or Sheltie that needs to come into rescue, typically we will line up a foster home before they come in. We determine which foster home is most appropriate based on what we know about the existing pets, family members, and any special circumstances. The Foster Director will be in touch when we have a foster dog coming in that we’d like to place with you!
Many of these dogs are very frightened on coming into a new environment. For this reason all Collies and Shelties in our program are microchipped immediately on arrival and RMCSR identification tags are placed on their collars. This is done for the dog’s protection in case they get loose.
Recommended Foods
We provide Precise dog food to our local foster families. If you are outside of our area and RMCSR is unable to provide this food, we highly recommend the following brands, which offer both canned and dry food:
• Wellness
• Blue Buffalo
• Natural Balance
• California Natural
• Canidae
• Taste of the Wild
• Innova
• Merrick’s
You will be asked to mail in your receipts for dog food and you will be issued a check for reimbursement.
Veterinary Care
All Collies and Shelties that come into our foster program will have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated for Rabies, Distemper/Parvo, and Bordetella, heartworm tested, microchipped, and had baseline bloodwork done. Any preexisting medical conditions are diagnosed and treated.
It will be your responsibility as a foster family to get the dogs to their vet appointments, but once again, RMCSR pays all expenses. We work with specific vets who give us discounted rates. We will discuss with you the most convenient vet based on what procedures are required and where you live. If we don’t already have an existing relationship with a vet in your area it may also be possible to negotiate a new one. Our goal will be to make it as convenient as possible for you to get your foster dog to all necessary appointments.
Evaluation and Training
While a foster dog is in your care, you will be responsible for keeping the Director and the Foster Committee Chairperson informed regarding the dog’s true temperament, training needs, and any other special needs. If the dog requires training, we ask that you work with him or her on basic commands as much as possible. RMCSR would like you to submit an evaluation of the dog when sufficient time has passed and you have had a chance to get to know the dog, usually within 5 to 10 days. We ask each foster to write a brief biography and take some pictures that will be used on our website to help find an adoptive home.
Once the dog has been posted to our website, we will begin to accept applications. As applications are received, RMCSR has volunteers to perform home inspections, call vet references and to perform screening and vetting of all applications. The foster family is not usually involved in this part of the process. We also may call upon you for feedback and advice when considering potential adoptive families. Your cooperation and regular communication will be essential for RMCSR to find the best possible match for each dog that comes into our program and ensuring their long-term success.
RMCSR keeps foster dogs in our program for as long as it takes to find them the perfect forever home. Some dogs will only stay for a couple weeks, others may stay for months. There is no hard and fast rule, and we ask and hope that our foster families will be patient and understand this aspect of fostering. If you have any trips planned while a foster is with you, we ask that you contact our Director so we can make arrangements for the dog with another foster family.
The Adoption Process
When a potential match has been determined for your foster, we forward you an adoptive family’s application and ask you to contact the applicant. You can call them and share what you have learned about the dog while it has been in your care. After you talk on the phone with a prospective applicant, if you feel there is good possibility of a match, you will need to invite them to your home so they can meet the dog and to see if they have the potential to offer the dog his or her forever home. We work very hard to make the right match for dogs in our care.
If we place a Collie or Sheltie with you and your family, you do have the option to permanently adopt your foster dog. The Director and the Board work very hard to make sure the dog is a good match for your family and reserve the final decision in these kinds of situations. You must notify us prior to promising the dog to another adoption applicant. If you wish to adopt your foster dog, you will have to fill out an adoption application and sign an adoption agreement, and you will be asked to make a donation just like everyone else.
Next Steps
Working as a team with other RMCSR volunteers, a foster family is a significant contributor to the overall vision and success of RMCSR. We look forward to working with you and thank you very much for your help and support.
If you are interested in fostering for us, please contact:
David Ordway, Vice President/Foster Committee Chair: 303-665-4570 (home); 970-567-7645 (cell)
Tom Carrasco, Foster Committee: 303-660-0724 (home); 303-807-5857 (cell)
A Rescue volunteer will call you to further discuss foster care. Should you decide to volunteer, you will be required to read and sign a foster home agreement.
Please review and fill out the Foster Application. Filling out this questionnaire in no way obligates you to volunteer as a foster for Rocky Mountain Collie and Sheltie Rescue.
If you’d like to learn more about fostering, please visit FosterDogs and take some time to review it. It is an excellent resource. There also is a Foster Dogs Support Group that may interest you.
