Fostering

Nothing! Fostering with Cincinnati Animal CARE is free, we will provide requested supplies, and provide all medical care. Should you choose to purchase your own food and toys for your foster pet, that’s great, but not required.

That’s up to you! Cincinnati Animal CARE offers daytrip fostering, weekend slumber parties, 1-to-2 week commitments and beyond! Do you travel for work and have a free week here and there? We’d love to have you foster! Willing to take on an animal that may be in your home for three months? We’d love to have you too! We will work around your schedule and lifestyle to set you up for success as a CAC foster!

Absolutely! We recommend bringing resident dogs to the shelter to meet with potential foster dogs in a supervised setting. We also have information available for slow introductions and if you are able to keep your foster pet entirely separated from your resident pets, that’s acceptable too.

That’s okay! We want to set you and your foster pet up for success! If it’s not working out, we ask for a minimum of 48 hours notice before returning (unless in the event of an emergency) and we will work to find a better fit for your home.

Without fostering, it would be impossible for us to be the one and only county shelter, responsible for bringing in all lost animals in Hamilton County, house only one dog per kennel, and be a no-kill organization. Animals that do not thrive in an overwhelming shelter environment can often shut down to the point where quality of life is a serious concern. Many of these behaviors are not seen when an animal is in a home. 

While we’re very proud of the work we do at CAC and work to make every animal’s stay comfortable and fun, a shelter is not a substitute for a home. Even if it’s only temporary, a foster home can literally save a life.