Sharing your home with a hound in need is a wonderful way to help one of our greyhounds going through a tricky time.
Is It For Me?
We are always looking for new foster families. Perhaps you are not ready to adopt, or just want to help as many hounds as possible! Ideally, you will have experience in dog ownership, preferably with greyhounds, and be calm, patient and with time to help your foster hound settle.
Fosterers are special people, taking a hound in need into their home, often at very short notice, not always knowing how long the guest will stay. Whether the stay is short or long, fostering is very rewarding.
If you do foster with us, you will get all the support and help you need, plus we cover all the associated costs.
Short-term Fostering
This is usually for a fixed shorter period of time, for example, after surgery such as a dental when some extra TLC or monitoring may be required, or holiday cover for one of our long-term fosters.
Long-term Fostering
Sometimes we get a hound struggling in kennels, or one that has been returned due to a change in circumstances after a long period of time in a home. Going into foster reduces stress and anxiety, and gives the dog a quiet, secure and familiar environment until it finds a permanent home.
If one of our owners has to go into hospital or has an emergency, then we will do our best to offer foster care until things get back to normal.
A Couple Of Our Foster Carers’ Experiences….
Paige has fostered many hounds for short stays, the most recent being Blake who needed a quiet place to stay while we had some building work carried out at the kennels:
“Because of my busy work schedule, I can’t commit to a dog of my own just yet—but fostering gives me that essential “greyhound fix” I’d otherwise miss!
There is something so special about watching a hound step out of the kennels and into a home for the first time. It’s like watching a flower bloom; you finally get to see their quirky, individual personalities shine through. Whether they’re discovering the magic of a sofa or learning what a kitchen is for, every moment helps us understand them better. It’s a joy helping these gentle souls find their feet while they wait for their forever families.”
Stuart, another of our foster carers, has looked after lots of our hounds under different circumstances. Two of his longer-term fosters were Joey, a returned hound and Grace, who struggled in kennels. Both have now moved on to forever homes!
“Being a foster carer can be challenging to start with and requires your time but it’s great to build a trusting relationship and watch their confidence grow. They learn that your home is a safe place to be. As their character and playfulness come to the fore, it’s very rewarding. When the day comes that they go off to a new home, sad though it is to see them go, you feel proud and can say to yourself ‘That’s down to me, job done!’.
So, if you have the time and patience to give a hound a better chance in life, do it; you won’t regret it.”
