Get Involved FAQs

What you need to know

Have some questions about fostering or what exactly you’ll be doing if you volunteer? We’ve got you covered. Read below for more information.

What is fostering?

Fostering is the act of welcoming a displaced dog or cat (or guinea pig, bird, frog) in to your home with the goal of caring for and nurturing them until an adoptive home has been found.

Where is your shelter?

Bounce Animal Rescue is unique in that we do not have a physical facility, and instead, we are 100% foster-based. This means, all of our animals live within people’s homes throughout the state of Colorado. We are very fortunate to have this type of system as this allows animals to land in a temporary home and start on basic training and home etiquette. It also allows us to better match up animals with adopters, as we get to learn the specifics of their personalities.

Because we do not have a shelter, we host weekly Saturday adoption events from 10am-1pm at Pet Supplies Plus (Front Range Village, 2912 Council Tree Ave #100, Fort Collins, 80525), in which all of our adoptable animals come together.

How long is the foster commitment?

Commitment times vary. On average, the foster commitment is 2-4 weeks long. However, a variety of commitment times are available.

 

Do I pay for foster supplies or medical expenses of my foster animal?

Nope! Bounce is happy to supply all necessary foster materials, and cover all medical expenses of our animals.

Do I need to attend adoption events?

Unless otherwise noted, we host weekly Saturday adoption events at Pet Supplies Plus (Front Range Village, 2912 Council Tree Ave #100, Fort Collins, 80525) from 10am-12pm. As a foster home, you are not required to attend adoption events, however, we highly encourage it! Because Bounce places heavy emphasis on properly matching up animals with adopters, we need our foster homes’ assistance in disclosing all known personality traits of our animals. If you are an out-of-city foster home, your foster animal(s) can be networked as such.

Do I need to live in northern Colorado to foster?

Nope! Bounce has foster homes across the state of Colorado and even into Wyoming. While we host weekly Saturday adoption events in Fort Collins, we can happily network out-of-city foster animal(s) for private adoption appointment viewings closer to your home.

Can I foster if I have personal pets?

Yes! We do require that any animals in your home have up-to-date vaccinations. 

Is a fenced yard required in order to foster? What if I live in an apartment?

You are not required to have a fenced yard in order to foster with Bounce and we welcome apartment dwellers. Our program is unique in the fact that the foster homes are able to pick animals that are best suited for their lifestyle and energy levels. Please note, please be courteous to your landlord and ask permission prior to signing up to foster.

Are your animals behaviorally tested? What if the foster animal is not a good fit?

All animals are behaviorally tested with other dogs by our rescue and shelter partners prior to entry into Bounce. While these behavioral tests are rarely inaccurate, we sometimes see animals that exhibit different behaviors within a shelter environment vs foster home. All foster homes are highly encouraged to communicate to Bounce staff right away if they have any concerns with their foster animal so proper accommodations or other placement can be discussed.

Are your animals seen by veterinarians?

Every animal that enters our rescue is required by state law to be evaluated by a licensed veterinarian in order to acquire a health certificate for trans-state travel. To ensure our animals are completely healthy, they remain in foster care for 10-14 days prior to adoption. If at any time they become ill, the rescue will ensure they seek the medical help they need through our network of approved veterinarian clinics. Because we are not fully aware of incoming animals’ medical or vaccination history, it is highly recommended that any personal pets be fully vaccinated prior to exposure of incoming foster animals.

How do you not get attached or keep foster animals?

In our honest opinion, you should get attached! However, while adoption saves a life, a great foster home can save many lives. One of the best moments of fostering is knowing your foster animal went to his or her most perfect home. Furthermore, many of our foster homes and adopters keep in touch, which helps in letting that animal go.

What if fostering is not a good fit for me? What else can I do to help?

Did you know Bounce only has one paid staff member? One! This means our daily operations are significantly reliant on foster homes AND volunteers. There are so many ways to help out. We are always looking for volunteers that want to lend a hand with driving, fundraising, special events, marketing, social media, grant writing…the list goes on. Please fill out a Volunteer Application and we will be in touch to talk about how you can help.

How old do you have to be to volunteer?

Bounce does not have a minimum age requirement and we welcome help at any age.

Are you required to volunteer a certain number of hours?

Nope! Because our daily schedule is ever fluctuating, so are our daily volunteer needs. Due to this, we have an open-door policy, in which volunteers can sign up for whenever and whatever best suits their interests and personal schedule.

If you have other questions or concerns that we did not address here, please contact us!