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Foster Resources

HRA can’t thank you enough for opening up your home and becoming a foster volunteer for our cats and dogs. A short time in your home saves lives! We could not do it without you, so thank you for taking on this extremely important role.

    Foster Laura Kalina
Photo by Laura Kalina

How can I help my foster animal find a forever home?

  1. Supply attractive photos and behavior updates to HRA regularly. Email photo to photosbios@humanerescuealliance.org.
  2. Download this FLYER TEMPLATE and add your pet's info to create a neighborhood flyer for your foster!
    Save as a pdf for printing and save as a jpeg for social media.
  3. Tell your friends and family about your foster.
  4. Tell your neighborhoood - post flyers and use neighborhood email listserves. For dogs, take a walk in local parks, shopping areas, or other safe high-traffic areas with an HRA leash cover or bandanna.
  5. Use social media - foster volunteers are encouraged to use their personal social media channels and networks to help promote their foster animal. We also encourage your to tag us and use the hashtag #AdoptHRA.
  6. Provide routine exercise (unless discouraged by a medical condition).
  7. Practice basic positive reinforcement training:
    - Shy dogs will benefit from your patience, routine, and slowly exposing them to new people to build their confidence. 
    - Rambunctious adolescents who learn good manners will help show off their trainability and long term potential. 
  8. Participate in HRA programs
  9. Give lots of love and attention - while puppies and kittens are adorable, they need a lot of love, attention, and hand-holding from humans to develop properly and feel secure.

Help HRA Recruit!
Ask people you know who are interested in fostering for HRA to complete this Foster Application.

Medical Emergencies 
If you are experiencing a medical animal emergency with your foster animal and you can’t reach a member of the foster department, please call the New York Avenue Adoption Center at 202-576-6664.

If you cannot keep your foster animal during an emergency or provide needed medical care through your own veterinarian, please bring your foster animal to the New York Avenue Adoption Center.

If you are traveling or have an emergency and need someone to care for you foster animal please reach out to your fellow foster parents through the google group to see if there is someone available to foster sit for you. If you are not able to find a foster sitter we will welcome your foster animal back at our New York Avenue Adoption Center.

Please call ahead if possible - 202-576-6664.
Available 24/7-day for emergency needs.

Routine Medical Information
If your foster animal is in need of medical care please schedule an appointment, using our online appointment scheduler, for your foster to be seen by our medical staff. If you’re not sure what kind of appointment to schedule or if your foster is in need of medical attention please contact your case manager.

Foster Care Resources
Shelter Medicine for Orphaned Kittens
Feline Upper Respiratory Infection
Petfinder Links

Important Rules and Reminders:
Foster parents must abide by the following rules:

  • Foster dogs must be on leash at all times when outdoors unless in your own secured, fenced yard.
  • Foster dogs are not allowed in off leach dog parks.
  • Foster cats must be kept indoors at all times.
  • Any aggressive behavior must be immediately communicated to HRA.
  • Foster parents must respond within 48 hours to communications from HRA staff.
  • HRA staff may remove a foster animal from a foster home for any reason.

Foster Google Groups
You must be a current/existing foster parent with HRA in order to participate and access the Google Groups.
HRA Cat Foster Google Group
HRA Dog Foster Google Group