FOSTER

Our Foster Network is the Lifeblood of the Rescue

Fosters allow us to bring dogs & cats from high-kill shelters to find forever homes here in Colorado. Please consider opening your home to help animals in need.

Foster a Dog
Foster a Cat
Cute puppy reaching out with paw, rescue site image for RMPR Puppy Rescue.
Small puppy being held in hands, rescue site image.
Cute black and tan puppy lying down, looking at the camera.
Small puppy running on hardwood floor near a beige chair.

Why foster care is better for animals

When you foster, you give an animal safety, care, and time to become ready for adoption. You also help create the moment when a person or family meets a companion who can change their life.

  • Matching starts before day one. Our conversations with shelter partners about each animal's personality and needs help us pair the right animal with the right foster home from the start.
  • Real homes reduce stress, giving animals space to rest, settle in, and feel safe outside a facility.  It also allows the foster to understand the animal's personality.
  • Better context leads to stronger adoptions, helping families make informed decisions while keeping final placement choices flexible.

Foster information hub

1 / Eligibility

Can I become a foster?

RMPR welcomes applicants who can provide a safe, loving home and follow our foster guidelines.

First-time foster? That’s completely okay. We’ll provide the guidance, supplies, and support you need to get started.

Foster requirements

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • For dogs, commit to fostering at least three weeks, but ideally until adoption. For cats commit to fostering until your cat can move to our adoption center.
  • Ability to bring your foster to our adoption event every Saturday. Even better, stay for the event so you can meet potential adopters, share what makes your foster special, and help create the perfect match.
  • If you have resident pets, they must be fully vaccinated and altered
2 / Application

What happens after I apply?

Our foster team reviews each application to make sure fostering is a good fit for you, your household, and the animals in our care.
1

Apply
Complete the RMPR foster application and tell us about your household, schedule, pets, experience, and preferences.

2

Interview
A member of our team will connect with you for a brief interview and answer any questions you have about fostering.

3

Complete onboarding
Approved fosters complete orientation, review RMPR policies and procedures, and sign the foster agreement.

4

Get matched
Our foster coordinators will match you with a dog that fits your home, experience, and lifestyle, considering your preference such as animal size or age, whether you have children or other pets, or if you want to foster special-needs pets.

Application

What fostering may involve

Fostering gives a rescue animal a safe place to decompress, learn household routines, and prepare for adoption. Every animal is different, but here’s what you can generally expect.

Routine care

Provide a safe, loving home, food, exercise, and basic training. RMPR supplies food, bowls, toys, crates, medications, and basic medical supplies.

Support

You’re never alone! Foster families receive orientation, RMPR staff support, experienced mentors, a private Facebook community, and veterinary guidance.

Transitions

The first few days may bring nervousness, crate whining, loose stools, fast eating, chewing, or cautious behavior. Routine and patience help most animals settle in. Once cleared for adoption, fosters are expected to attend RMPR’s Saturday events until adopted.

A foster home is more than a place to stay — it gives an animal the chance to learn what it feels like to be part of a family.

Apply to Foster a Dog
Apply to Foster a Cat
Cute black and tan puppy running through a field of purple flowers.

FOSTER WITH RMPR

Your home can be the first step toward their forever

When you foster, you give an animal safety, care, and time to become ready for adoption. You also help create the moment when a person or family meets a companion who can change their life.

"Fostering can be very difficult, but it's one of the most rewarding experiences." "RMPR provides you with everything you need, and their team is quick to respond to any questions."
 "This experience brought us closer together and re-instilled the value of patience, consistency, and hard work. Most of all, it brought us love and a great sense of purpose." "Two 8-week-old puppies became part of our world and family." "After our beloved family dogs passed from old age and we retired, we decided that committing to a dog of our own wasn't the right thing for us. Fostering lets us have puppies in our house and the flexibility to travel without worrying about boarding a dog." "We would highly recommend being a foster." "We love helping good dogs get adjusted and become their true selves."
 "It's bittersweet to let go when the puppy gets adopted, but it's softened by meeting the forever families and picturing the great life the pup will have."

Can’t foster? Please consider donating or volunteering.

Donate
Volunteer