B.A.R.K. | Being Advocates for Rescued K-9's - Get on the B.A.R.K. Foster Team!

B.A.R.K. Foster Home Information

Food will be provided for your foster dog at no cost to you.
Any supplies such as leashes, collars, crates, toys and grooming supplies will be provided at no cost (when available).
B.A.R.K. utilizes Southview Animal Hospital in Inver Grove Heights as a primary veterinarian for the foster dogs. Just contact the B.A.R.K. director with any health concerns and they will direct you from there! Transport assistance can be arranged.
Adoption events are held at least 2 times per month. If you have a foster dog that doesn't do well at the events, other arrangements can be made for potential adoptive families to meet your dog.
Adoption events are NOT mandatory!
All B.A.R.K. adoptable pets are posted on Petfinder.com but you are welcome to advertise your foster dog in any way you choose.
If the dog becomes a danger to itself, any foster family member or animal at any time, a different arrangement will be made within the foster system.
If you have a breed, temperament, or size preference in foster dogs B.A.R.K. will try to honor it.

Our Philosophy on...

Commitment

Our foster homes are very committed to helping dogs in need! Not every dog is one that you would choose to keep for your own family, but there is a family out there who is perfect for every dog! It's our job to find that family, and commit to the dog from "save to adoption".

First Time Foster Homes

We appreciate the willingness to try foster care for the first time! We were all "first-timers" at one point and remember how exciting it was!

For our first time foster homes, we want the transition to be as easy as possible and we want to match you with the right kind of dog. We often look for compatible dogs that are already in our system. We will try to work with breed, temperament, and age preferences as much as possible the first time. If your requests or criteria are very specific, it may take longer to find a dog in danger who fits those criteria but we will always try!

Foster-to-Adopt

Adoption is a lifetime commitment and we do not send our foster dogs out on "trial" if you can't decide if you want to adopt or not. However, if you foster one of our dogs and just can't see them living anywhere else but with you, you will get first priority on adopting them! Otherwise, you must see the dog through to it's adoptive home.

The Adoptive Home

B.A.R.K. foster families know their foster dogs better than anyone. That is why the foster home gets to decide which adoptive home will benefit the dog the most, and where you think your foster dog will be most happy. The foster home has the right to decline any application for any reason and the applications are not decided on a first come-first serve basis. The B.A.R.K. volunteers will assist you in the adoption process in the beginning and when you're comfortable you can finalize adoptions on your own!

Communication

As a foster home, you can communicate as little or as much as needed for your dog. If you need supplies, food, assistance, or in an emergency there are a variety of ways to contact multiple volunteers at any time of the day. If you have a busy schedule, or a an easy dog that requires little to no follow-up, we understand and will just check in periodically to see how things are going.

Any behavior problems, health questions, or general foster fun are often communicated through a general yahoo group forum. If someone is going on vacation, needs a dog-sitter, or just wants to share a fun photo the yahoo group is a great way to let everyone know. Great communication makes a rescue work!

Get on the B.A.R.K. Foster Team!