Strawberry Fields
Foster Program
A foster home provides a second chance to an animal that is left without a home.
Fostering means welcoming an animal into your home for an indeterminate period of time. Your foster animal will be a loved and cared for member of your family until an adoptive home is found. An animal needing hospice care will not be adopted out, and will remain with a foster family until the end of their life.
Fosters receive full support from SFAR. We pay for medical care, provide pet supplies, behavioral support (if needed) and 24/7 support and access to your foster coordinator.
Meet Some of Our Amazing Foster Parents!
Why Is Fostering So Important?
Senior, sick, and special needs animals are often passed over by people looking for younger animals to adopt. Often times these animals are the first in line to be euthanized, especially if the shelter is at capacity and the animal has already been waiting awhile to be fostered or adopted.
When you choose to foster an older animal you are truly saving a life!
FOSTERING SAVES LIVES
Families take in a pet who would otherwise be in a shelter, thereby freeing up much-needed space for another pet who has no safe place to go. This saves the life of the pet in a foster home, and the pet who takes their place at the shelter.
SHELTER LIFE IS HARD
Even at the best-run, best-funded shelters, shelter life increases stress, chance of disease, and can have major effects on a pet’s emotional state and quality of life. Fostering is better for the pet, the community, and greatly increases a shelter’s capacity.
KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER
Fostering keeps families together. Safety net fostering programs ensure that owned pets are not permanently separated from their families because of hospitalization, eviction, rehab, or some other short-term crisis. Instead, animals are cared for in a foster home until they can be reunited with the people who love them.
Fostering Can Help You Heal
Fostering is good for a person's mental health and can also help you heal. A foster can help mend your broken heart after the loss of a pet.
Journey To Becoming A Foster Family
1.) Sign Up
Making sure your home
is the right fit
We appreciate each and every person that applies to be a foster parent. We try to pair every animal with the home we think will be the best fit. Please allow between 24-72 hours to receive a response.
2.) Connect to a foster coordinator
We'll be with you every step of the way
Once your application has been reviewed, you'll receive an e-mail connecting you to a Foster Coordinator who will walk you through the approval process.
3.) Reference Checks
Vet check and Housing
We'll contact your veterinarian to make sure all of your current pets and previous pets have been kept healthy. If you are renting we will need to contact your landlord to make sure they allow pets.
4.) Phone Chat
Getting to know you
A Foster Coordinator will call to explain our program to you, answer any questions you may have, and get to know you and your animals (if you have any) in order to help us match you with the correct foster animal. Sometimes you may find that the animal you applied for isn't the best fit. In that case we will try to match you with a different animal.
5.) Meet and Greet
Your foster wants to meet all members of your household (including your pets)
We'll arrange a meet and greet with your new foster. This will be either in your home or in a convenient place for you and your foster coordinator. We work with multiple animal controls and municipal shelters. Often times the meet and greet may have to happen at one of these facilities. If all goes well you can welcome your new foster animal into your home!
We Provide Our Foster Families With Everything They Need To Care For Their Animal
Pet Supplies
Vet Care
Training
Strawberry Fields provides our fosters with the supplies they need to care for their foster animal. The list below is generally what each family gets (if needed). If there are other items needed please make your foster coordinator aware.
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Food
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leash/collar/harness
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bowls
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crate (if needed)
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toys
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blankets
All vet appointments, medications, and any necessary medical care is fully covered by SFAR.
Every animal that enters our foster program is:
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fully vaccinated
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wellness exam
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heartworm tested
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comprehensive blood panel
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fecal test (for intestinal parasites)
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receives monthly heartworm and flea/tick preventative
Many of our rescues require extra medical care. Sometimes that may be a urinalysis or treatment for an ear infection. Other times the treatment may be more extensive such as surgery or emergency vet care. Each animal is accessed and treated on a case by case basis.
Strawberry Fields works with one of the top animal behaviorists in the field. Kelley Bollen has a master's degree in animal behavior and is a certified animal behavior consultant. Kelley lives in Nevada so we schedule a Zoom session with her if we have a dog or cat having a behavior problem. We also work with local trainers. Not to worry if your foster animal is having a behavior issue because we are here to support you and get your foster the help they need.
Temporary Coverage
Transportation
24/7 Support
Strawberry Fields provides our fosters with the supplies they need to care for their foster animal. The list below is generally what each family gets (if needed). If there are other items needed please make your foster coordinator aware.
-
Food
-
leash/collar/harness
-
bowls
-
crate (if needed)
-
toys
-
blankets
We have a limited transport network to help drive our animals to and from appointments, home visits, events, etc. We know that many of our fosters do not have cars, so we are here to help, when we can, with transportation.
Support is without a doubt the most important thing a foster coordinator can provide to a foster family. Fostering can be very rewarding but it can also be very challenging. During challenging times having someone to speak with and get words of encouragement from can make all the difference. Never hesitate to call your foster coordinator with any questions or concerns. What's most important to Strawberry Fields is that our foster families feel supported during their foster experience.
Animals Needing Foster Homes
We recommend doing all applications on a desktop, laptop or tablet and not on a mobile device. Please review the expectations of becoming a foster parent before filling out an application.If you have any questions about fostering please email info@sfanimalrescueil.org.
If you are interested in learning about our adoption process please click here.
Foster Application
Dogs Matter
Temporary Crisis Foster Program for Pet Owner's Struggling With Addiction
"Dogs Matter is the only nonprofit organization providing free, temporary foster care placement and supportive services specifically for dogs of addicts and alcoholics seeking substance abuse treatment and transitioning into recovery. Our primary purpose is ensuring the welfare of the dog and their owner — reuniting them once our client has successfully completed treatment and is ready to be a healthy and responsible dog owner again."
Strawberry Fields Animal Rescue has partnered with Dogs Matter and serves as their Chicagoland branch. If you need to take advantage of this unique program please fill out an application through Dogs Matter. Dogs Matter will contact us once they receive your temporary surrender application. You may also use the button at the bottom of the page to be taken to the temporary surrender application and the Dogs Matter website. You can contact Dogs Matter with additional questions.