Foster care is an opportunity to care for an animal that’s not yet ready for adoption. It’s an alternative for animal lovers who can’t make a long-term commitment, but still want to help rescue animals.

A foster home is so much more than just shelter and food. It is a special place for a rescue animal while on its journey to finding a forever home. It’s a place of love, support and encouragement.

Fostering is incredibly rewarding and we know and understand that returning a foster pet can be emotional but we always remind our foster families of the amazing work they are doing and that we’ll always have another little rescue that needs their foster love and care.

We have lots of rescue animals in the shelter that need foster homes including:

New born kittens, pregnant cats/dogs, kittens with flu, puppies with mange, dogs with kennel cough, animals after surgery needing crate rest and lots more.

Our fostering team will provide you with all the information that you need to care for your foster animal along with guidelines and contact details should you need help.

Fosters must be 18 years of age and have their own transport.

Fosters need to live within a reasonable distance from our shelter in Rathfarnham as they will need to attend regular veterinary check-ups for their foster pet.

Fosters need to be around during the day to care for their foster pets so they can not work full time or part time.

The DSPCA will supply everything you need you to care for you foster animal during the fostering period including food, bedding, toys, bowl, little tray, cat litter, leads, collars etc.

Any medication that you foster animal is on will be also be supplied by the DSPCA along clear instructions on how and when to administer it.

The fostering period will differ for each animal. Kittens and puppies may need fostering for 2-3 weeks and an adult dog or cat may need 1 week.

The fostering period for each animal will be discussed directly with you.

If you are currently fostering for the DSPCA and your foster pet requires urgent veterinary attention outside of our standard working hours (Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm), please use the following contacts on the numbers provided in your foster pack:

• Monday to Friday 5pm – 8pm & Saturday to Sunday 4pm – 8pm please call Village Vets Dundrum
• Saturday and Sunday 10am – 4pm please call the DSCPA on-call vet number

Outside these hours, for emergencies please contact the Pet Emergency Hospital.

This service is only available to DSPCA foster animals under the care of the DSPCA.