Foster Care Interest Form
Are You Ready For Foster Care?
**Applicants must live within a 50-mile radius of either our San Rafael, CA or Boring, OR campuses**
Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) has guidelines for caring for our foster dogs so they may continue to practice good behavior and prepare for life as a guide dog, or as a partner in another program. With that mission in mind, GDB may ask you to follow guidelines with a foster care dog that are different from what you may be familiar with for your own pet dog or other pets you’ve known.
Please review and complete the following checklist for Foster Care Providers, including some of the basic guidelines for the program. Following expectations is crucial to the future success of any dog that spends time in a foster care home.
Contact Information
First Name (Required)
Middle Name
Last Name (Required)
Street Address (Required)
Street Address 2
City (Required)
State (Required)
Please select...
CA
OR
WA
Zip Code (Required)
Contact Information
Email (Required)
Preferred Phone
Please select...
Home
Work
Mobile
Home Phone (area code first)
Cell Phone (area Code first)
Work Phone (area code first)
Foster Care Provider Expectations
Households with busy travel schedules or who are unavailable for long periods of time each year may not be appropriate for this program. Please acknowledge you are available most of the year, and willing to enroll as a Foster Care Provider for at least a year or more:
Yes
No
Dogs in our Foster Care program are almost always active program dogs, or dogs in transition between programs. Please acknowledge your understanding that dogs in your care will be with you temporarily, and that this is not a foster-to-adopt program:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge that each member of your home is supportive of participating in Foster Care, and willing to follow all guidelines and instructions for each dog in your care:
Yes
No
Communication is critical in ensuring that dogs in the Foster Care program receive what they need and are in the correct location, etc. Please acknowledge you are willing to prioritize communications with the GDB Foster Care program:
Yes
No
GDB provides a crate and all other supplies for Foster Care homes. Please acknowledge your willingness to use a crate when no one is home, or when your foster dog cannot be directly supervised:
Yes
No
GDB dogs in Foster Care are participating in various programs, and have different levels of learning and experiences. Over time, a dog may have more freedom in your home, but not always. Please acknowledge your willingness to use a tie down (indoor tether) to safely limit a foster dog's access when needed to help maintain appropriate house manners, even when you are home:
Yes
No
GDB’s Foster Care dogs can weigh 70 pounds or more, and many are young and energetic, requiring at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, with some needing even more. Adequate exercise can help prevent health and behavior issues. Please acknowledge you are comfortable walking a large, potentially energetic dog for at least 30 minutes per day:
Yes
No
Most of our foster dogs are walked using a “headcollar” (Gentle Leader, Halti, Figure 8). Head collars help with control and allow the dog to practice good manners on a walk. We provide training resources for the proper use of this vital tool. Please acknowledge your willingness to use a headcollar when requested when walking a foster dog:
Yes
No
Some foster dogs must be relieved while on leash (and sometimes only on certain surfaces such as asphalt or concrete), versus turning them loose in a yard. In addition, foster dogs are only allowed off leash in a securely fenced yard; and are never permitted in dog parks, or on beaches or trails that allow off leash dogs (even though they will be on leash). Please acknowledge you will relieve the dog on leash if requested, and on the surface requested (if applicable), you will not visit locations with the foster care dog that allow off-leash dogs, and that you understand that foster dogs must always be on leash unless they are in a securely fence yard:
Yes
No
Many foster care dogs are actively part of our training program learning guidework. For these dogs, you may be asked to relieve the dog prior to a walk, and prevent sniffing, pulling on leash, relieving while on the walk, and visiting other dogs. These "purposeful walks" can help to prevent behaviors that are not compatible with formal guidework training/behaviors. Please acknowledge you will follow these guidelines regarding relieving before walks and “purposeful” walks when requested:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge that if you have other pets, you will manage your foster dog according to GDB’s guidelines, even if they differ from your pet’s rules. In addition, please confirm your pets are friendly and well-behaved around other dogs:
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Please acknowledge that if your household has children and/or other pets, you will closely supervise all interactions with the foster dog in your care, and ensure that interactions between your pets and the foster dog are managed appropriately:
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Please acknowledge your willingness to ensure that your foster dog has access only to toys that are approved by GDB:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your willingness to attend additional training seminars related to dog behavior and training to keep up your foster care skills (we will provide these trainings or make recommendations):
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your willingness to check the foster dog regularly, and provide grooming and basic medical care (ear cleaning, teeth brushing, etc.):
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your willingness to promptly inform GDB staff of any behavioral or medical concerns with a foster dog:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your willingness to bring a foster dog to the GDB vet as needed:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your willingness to return a foster dog to GDB with 24 hours' notice:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your willingness to complete a behavior record for the foster dog when requested:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your willingness to keep the Foster Care team updated regarding your availability to foster, and that only approved Foster Care Providers can care for a GDB dog:
Yes
No
Please acknowledge your understanding that GDB dogs in Foster Care have no legal access to public places, other than where a pet dog is allowed:
Yes
No
Occasionally, GDB is able to arrange “day care” on the GDB campus if you will be gone from home longer than four hours. Overall, though, please acknowledge that you are home and available most of the day, and will not leave a foster dog home alone or in a crate for more than 4 hours (except overnight):
Yes
No
Thank you for your interest.
Thank you so much for your interest in the Foster Care program at Guide Dogs for the Blind! We will be in touch with you in the next couple of weeks with further information and details. This is an incredibly important and rewarding program, and we couldn’t do it without the commitment of our incredible volunteers!
Contact Information