Greyhound Gap has a wonderful group of fosterers, many hounds have been given a new start in life because of the input, care and love of their foster carers. We always need more!

The role of the fosterer is to look after a Gap hound in the same way as you would your own dogs and give us feedback on the hound. Gap offers full support and back up to all foster homes.

How it Works

A home check will be carried out in the same way as we home check potential adopters. The main reason for this is so we can get to know you, your family and animals and how your family works. We try as much as is possible to find the best possible match for your circumstances in the same way as we try to match the best hound to the family when adopting. After the home check, providing you wish to go ahead with fostering you will be asked to sign a Fosterer’s Agreement and keep to the rules therein in order to comply with the stipulations of our public liability insurance for the dog whilst he/she is under your care for Greyhound Gap.

We may be looking for a foster home in the immediate area of Stoke on Trent if the dog may need continuing vet care from the charity’s vet, if this is not the case a hound can be fostered anywhere in the country providing a transport run can be arranged.

Please do not be put off offering to foster if you work part or full time and have arrangements for you own dog/s to be walked at lunchtime. Just because you work does not mean that you cannot foster but obviously we will place a hound with you that doesn’t mind being left for periods of time.

Greyhound Gap will cover all veterinary care the hound may need, if this is not an urgent matter we ask that you contact a trustee to discuss the care the hound may need before you go to the vet. In the case of an emergency then of course, we would want you to get to the vet immediately and then contact as soon as possible to give us an update. Greyhound Gap will also cover other expenses such as food, please request this in advance of the fostering.

Foster dogs can be in a foster home for any length of time depending on how quickly they find their new homes. If you have a limit on the length of time you can foster please discuss this with us in advance of each foster. Each hound has a rehoming thread on the forum and its really helpful if fosterers are able to update the homing thread on how the dog is doing and perhaps any foibles it has. Photos are always welcomed too!

Greyhound Gap offers the fosterer continuous back up and advice throughout the fostering term and we hope that any problems can be nipped in the bud with advice. However, sometimes the fostering does not work out, if this is the case then the dog must be returned to Greyhound Gap.

Once an adopter is agreed for the hound you are fostering, Lisa will let you know and ask the adopter to contact you for a chat to discuss the dog and answer any questions they may have, subsequently a meeting will be set up so that the adopter, family and any resident dogs they may have can meet the foster hound. If the meeting is a success, the adopter will then take their new hound home. We will ask you to get the adopter to sign the adoption agreement and pay the adoption fee (we will supply the fosterer with blank adoptions agreements).

Should you find it impossible to part with your foster hound then please let Lisa know at the earliest opportunity and you will be admitted to the exclusive ‘Failed Fosterers Club’ which is perhaps not quite as exclusive as it once was because of the large number of failed fosterers we now have on board!

If you think you would like to foster please do not delay. In the first place we would ask you to complete the Pre-Adoption Questionnaire – making sure to put a note on the questionnaire that you are enquiring to become a fosterer. You will then be contacted by the charity for a chat and to set up a home check. We appreciate every offer of assistance we get and look forward to hearing from you!


Why become a fosterer?

A personal account of fostering by Jen, one of our valued and experienced fosterers.

In 2007 while looking up Greyhounds on the internet I stumbled across Greyhound Gap. I already had two Greyhounds of my own and although was not in a position at that time to take on another dog permanently I wanted to help and thought that fostering would be something I could do. I work full time so wasn’t sure if I would be suitable but my fears were soon put to rest by firstly Liz and then Lisa. It was explained to me that only suitable dogs were matched to each foster home and that full backup and support would be provided by the rescue.

After a homecheck I soon went to collect my first foster. He was an absolute dream and after three months of living with me he soon found himself a lovely new home. I was sad to see him go but I realised I was caught by the fostering bug and couldn’t wait to foster again.

As I got more involved with Gap, I realised that they don’t only help needy hounds. They are willing to step in and help any dog in need. One such dog was a Staffie x who had been brought in with a blind lurcher, they needed to find a foster home for him. At that time I was looking for another dog so I volunteered to foster him with a view to keeping him. Within 10 minutes I knew he was going nowhere although he was not quite what I imagined as my first Gap ‘hound’! Fostering is important to me, and I could have never made the decision to keep him if I couldn’t continue to foster.

Fostering can be a rollercoaster of emotions, you laugh, you cry, you tear your hair out in frustration; you jump for joy when a breakthrough is made. Through all this Gap are in the background offering you guidance so you are never alone.

Sometimes people ask how I can let them go. It’s a great feeling to watch them go happily to a new life and even better when I get updates of their progress. I have had a couple of dogs I felt would be perfect for me and would have loved to have kept but ultimately could never be so selfish as there is always another dog waiting for a foster home. I love the buzz of meeting a new dog. No two dogs are the same, every dog comes with its own challenges and I learn something new from every one of them.

I have seen a few dogs through my door. Some just breeze in without a care in the world and soon breeze out, some stay for a lot longer before they find a new home, some you pour your heart and soul into in order to help them forget a troubled past or need nursing to health as they have come in with injury or illness. Some have challenging behaviours you need to help them overcome, but ALL of them deserve a second chance and I hope that my contribution makes a difference to their lives.

To see the difference a good foster home can make... you just need to take a look at Beaut.

Beaut on arrivalBeaut on a sofa... and well on route to a happy, healthy life.