Volunteering/Fostering requirements

There are many ways that you can add your talents to the work we do with Homeward Bound.

We have a continual need for foster homes as the availability of those homes is what dictates the number of dogs we are able to bring into our program. The more foster homes we have available, the more dogs we can keep out of shelters and in our care until they find their forever home.

Foster homes serve a number of functions. Through our foster volunteers we are able to really learn about our dogs, who they are and what they need in a home situation. This allows us to find just the right home for each dog which greatly enhances the chance that they will remain with their new families throughout the rest of their lives. Foster homes work at identifying problem areas in their charges and may start working with their fosters at fixing them (such as providing reassurance and security to a dog who has been frightened in its prior living situation or shelter experience). Some of the puppies need to learn basic housebreaking and how to walk on a leash. Foster homes work at socializing their dogs, exposing them to as many different people and situations as possible to again assess temperament. Most of all, our foster homes provide a loving and safe environment for these dogs until we can find their forever homes.

However, there are many other things that we need help with to keep our group going. We often need help transporting dogs from shelters to foster homes, or to vet appointments. Many of our dogs come from long distances where we will need to meet a transport on a weekend to get them here. Sometimes that will require more than one vehicle and we could certainly use help there.

We need help at our adoption clinics, both in working with the dogs and with applicants. Volunteers can help at all phases of the adoption process, including doing the home visits. Volunteers are needed for our training classes and to assist us in fundraising and special events. As volunteers are trained, some may be asked to visit shelters in their areas to evaluate dogs which may be coming into the program. We also need people to assist in maintaining the web page as well as other internet sites (such as maintaining the Petfinder page and/or finding other search engines for our group). The more people who want to be involved only increases the amount of work we can do.

If you are interested in becoming a Homeward Bound Foster Home, please click here. You must be over the age of 18 and have your own residence to be a Foster Home.
If you are interested in volunteering for Homeward Bound in some other capacity, please click here .

Thank you for your interest in Homeward Bound and more importantly thank you for helping the dogs find their forever homes.